Feb. 16, 2017 By Hannah Wulkan
A local politician is putting forward a new initiative to help protect the immigrant community of Jackson Heights.
State Senator Jose Peralta, whose recent move to leave the Democratic Party in favor a splinter group within the senate has drawn the ire of many community members, held a forum last night at P.S. 19 to discuss his initiative to create what he called a “sanctuary district.”
Under the plan, Peralta is offering legal services to immigrants and their families through the IDC’s recently set up Immigrant Defense Coalition, which also set up a hotline for immigrants to call with concerns.
“As New York leads the way in so many social and economic issues, this is now the time to lead the way in protecting our immigrant families and communities from the threat of the new administration’s unjust policies,” Peralta said. “I urge anyone who may need help to call the hotline number and seek assistance immediately.”
At the forum Peralta announced that his office doors would be open to immigrants seeking help, and he handed out information on what to do if an individual is stopped by an Immigration and Custom Enforcement officer.
“I want to make sure that my constituents know that they are not fighting alone against this administration, and this is why it is very important that they know what to do in case officers asked them about their immigration status, if they are approached or if they are taken into custody,” Peralta said.
Immigrants seeking help can call the hotline at 1-800-213-6385.
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3 Comments
Hope this will mean “bye, bye Peralta” the next time he comes up for election! Otherwise it is on US!
Hey they ran this racket for a long time. Everyone was making some $ Crooked and corrupt politicians. Now that the gravy train is over they are all up in arms!
There is a big difference between invited house guests and squatters.
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There is a big difference between shoppers and shoplifters.
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There is a big difference between a passenger and a stowaway.
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AND there is a big difference between a LEGAL Immigrant and an ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT.
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It’s so nice to see so many people, including elected officials aiding and encouraging people to break federal law.