Residents pushing for Schenectady to be sanctuary city By Paul Nelson Updated 1:22 pm, Friday, March 31, 2017
Fatima Esat no longer takes as many of those long relaxing walks that she enjoys. "I don't do it very often these days out of fear," said the Woodlawn resident, who is Muslim and wears a hijab. These days, she also feels more stressed out going out to places like the supermarket for fear of getting funny looks and expressed anxieties about what she sees an increase in hate crimes over the past year or so.
Esat is among a small group of people, some of whom have been attending City Council meetings over the past past few weeks, to convince city leaders to declare Schenectady a so-called sanctuary city, communities that try to shield undocuments immigrants from deportation. But it seems unlikely the council will take up the matter.
City Council President Leesa Perazzo said Thursday that she is in favor of discussing the issue but that four of her colleagues on the seven-person council are not. Perazzo could use her powers as council president to get the matter on the body's upcoming legislative agenda but she said such an effort makes little sense if it has no support from other lawmakers.
"To me, it's not about simply naming Schenectady a sanctuary city, there are a whole bunch of things and different options we could talk about," said Perazzo. "To me, it's about recognizing that our citizens are concerned for our immigrant population here in the city and what can we do to make them feel safe, feel welcome, and just as much a part of the city as any other resident."
She pledged to continue to "encourage the conversation" among her peers and is working with community groups to hold community talks. City Councilman Vince Riggi said Thursday that is open to talking about sanctuary cities but has a "hard time supporting anything that's prefaced with illegal." In this case,"illegal immigrants," he said. Councilman Marion Porterfield said she supports talking about the issue.
City Council members John Mootoveren, Karen Zalewski-Wildzunas did not return calls to their cell phones Thursday seeking comment on the issue. "Nobody has ever complained to me about this before," Riggi said. Riggi said he's heard complaints from matters as different as pot holes to snowplowing to sidewalks. No one, he said, has complained about city cops harassing immigrants.
Two Albany County communities, Albany and Bethlehem have declared themselves sanctuary cities which could jeopardize any federal monies they would be in line for since U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently threatened to pull funding from sanctuary cities for broadly violating the federal law and attempting to shield illegal immigrants from arrest or deportation.
"The idea of sanctuary cities is that they draw a hard line that city resources do not go toward federal enforcement," said Joseph Paparone with the Labor-Religion Coalition of New York, a non profit group.
Jamaica Miles, an activist who lives in Schenectady, said the she and other city residents want to ensure that city police are not cooperating with federal agencies to arrest or detain immigrants. She said they want the city to disavow President Trump's comments that equate immigrants, refugees, and Muslims to terrorists. She said the group is circulating petitions in houses of worships to build support for the effort. Miles said they are working with the Clergy Against Hate and an immigrant advocacy group.
"The strategy is to continue to educate the community at large, grow our base of supporters, and ensure those marginalized groups who are already living in fear are able recognize there are people who are speaking out on their behalf but also welcoming them to a safe place," Miles added. Esat, who is from Zimbabwe in Africa, has lived in Schenectady for the past 10 years.
"We are definitely under attack and feel like we're under siege," she said. "Whether or not they feel it or not is not the point, they should take the time to listen to us and hear our stories."
Folks want us to be a sanctuary city not taking into consideration that to do so means we might loose a great deal of federal money that we consider a given that is used for street repairs etc
Where are we going to house these folks? Who is going to feed and cloth them? Where are they going to get medical care? Can our County Medicaid dollars cover their medical needs? Can our schools handle the increase in children? The state already is not paying us our fair share of educational money so how are our schools going to be able to deal with this?
In fact I think someone should post a list of all the federal funds coming into Schenectady and what it is spent on to see just what would happen to this city without that money.
Schenectady is a very unique city. Our immigration history is extensive from the Dutch, Irish, Italian, Polish, German, Guyanese etc. It is those immigrants that made GE and ALCO and help improve the current housing situation by fixing up houses and so many inventions that where born here so immigration is important. But they came here and followed the laws to become a citizen. They brought something to give and weren't law breakers. They didn't expect something for nothing.
The residents of the cities that declare sanctuary can reap whatever benefits immigrants bring, and pay directly whatever costs are associated with illegal immigrants.
I think this is a no brainer.............NO! First, the trump administration (Sessions) is trying to cut all federal funding to sanctuary cities. Second, does the word 'illegal' in 'illegal immigrant' mean anything anymore? Third, Schenectady can't maintain what is already here not to mention..(as Cel said), where are they going to house them? Where will they work...there are no jobs!!!
Schenectady was built by immigrants.....LEGAL immigrants.
idiots
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I think this is a no brainer.............NO! First, the trump administration (Sessions) is trying to cut all federal funding to sanctuary cities. Second, does the word 'illegal' in 'illegal immigrant' mean anything anymore? Third, Schenectady can't maintain what is already here not to mention..(as Cel said), where are they going to house them? Where will they work...there are no jobs!!!
Schenectady was built by immigrants.....LEGAL immigrants.
idiots
All federal funding should be cut, then residents can feel the pain of how much these policies really cost.
Agreeing with Trumper is accepting yet one more govt unfunded mandate... an added Federal drain on our police force with no compensation to pay for it.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Agreeing with Trumper is accepting yet one more govt unfunded mandate... an added Federal drain on our police force with no compensation to pay for it.
I agree...let sanctuary cities manage and pay for their own undocumented/illegal immigrants.
I support states right of non-enforcement of federal law. Next step...States not enforcing federal income tax law.
Since states are providing sanctuary for people breaking federal law, I would support federal income tax sanctuary cities!
Second, does the word 'illegal' in 'illegal immigrant' mean anything anymore?
Schenectady was built by immigrants.....LEGAL immigrants.
idiots
Illegal is ILLEGAL undocumented is ILLEGAL Giving special treatment to ILLEGAL and UNDOCUMENTED is a slap in the face of LEGAL IMMIGRANTS and those that continue to try an come here legally. What I also see on the media is that many of those "illegal", are not trying to assimilate into our society, but rather enjoy our country, culture and benefits. I use Miami as an example. When there was an influx of Cubans and other Hispanics into Miami years ago, many were illegal, and made no effort to become Americans. Some time ago Miami's 1st language became HISPANIC!!!! A major city in the US, where English is the 2nd language!!!!!! This is happening in many more places today.
When our parents/grandparents migrated to the US, they came with the intention of becoming Americans and being part of a better life, for themselves and their children. Those who come today following the Legal path share much of those values....those that are illegal not so much.
As for Fatima Esat, I am sorry that she is subjected to such stupidity from the "minority" of people that reside around here. It is wrong, stupid and typical of what life's losers do. With that said, Fatima, creating a sanctuary city WILL NOT free you from such prejudice. My opinion is that it would fuel the demeanor of those already engaged in brain dead stupidity, and possibly encourage others.
The point of sanctuary city is that local Government would not direct local law enforcement to take action based on requested from Federal law enforcement...which in and of itself, is again S T U P I D!!!!! If someone is ILLEGAL and targeted for deportation, based on legal guidelines, then local law enforcement should honor the federal law enforcement requests, P E R I O D!!!!!!
I need to stop, because I could go on forever...this is a real sticking point for me. I've been fortunate to travel to many places abroad and the kind of crap that the US is dealing with does not exist to anywhere near the same level as what we are seeing here.
JUST BECAUSE SISSY SAYS SO DOESN'T MAKE IT SO...BUT HE THINKS IT DOES!!!!! JUST BECAUSE MC1 SAYS SO DOESN'T MAKE IT SO!!!!!
Illegal is ILLEGAL undocumented is ILLEGAL Giving special treatment to ILLEGAL and UNDOCUMENTED is a slap in the face of LEGAL IMMIGRANTS and those that continue to try an come here legally. What I also see on the media is that many of those "illegal", are not trying to assimilate into our society, but rather enjoy our country, culture and benefits. I use Miami as an example. When there was an influx of Cubans and other Hispanics into Miami years ago, many were illegal, and made no effort to become Americans. Some time ago Miami's 1st language became HISPANIC!!!! A major city in the US, where English is the 2nd language!!!!!! This is happening in many more places today.
When our parents/grandparents migrated to the US, they came with the intention of becoming Americans and being part of a better life, for themselves and their children. Those who come today following the Legal path share much of those values....those that are illegal not so much.
As for Fatima Esat, I am sorry that she is subjected to such stupidity from the "minority" of people that reside around here. It is wrong, stupid and typical of what life's losers do. With that said, Fatima, creating a sanctuary city WILL NOT free you from such prejudice. My opinion is that it would fuel the demeanor of those already engaged in brain dead stupidity, and possibly encourage others.
The point of sanctuary city is that local Government would not direct local law enforcement to take action based on requested from Federal law enforcement...which in and of itself, is again S T U P I D!!!!! If someone is ILLEGAL and targeted for deportation, based on legal guidelines, then local law enforcement should honor the federal law enforcement requests, P E R I O D!!!!!!
I need to stop, because I could go on forever...this is a real sticking point for me. I've been fortunate to travel to many places abroad and the kind of crap that the US is dealing with does not exist to anywhere near the same level as what we are seeing here.
How about those states that are violating federal marijuana laws? These states are actually collecting taxes off of those ILLEGAL sales of marijuana. I hope Jeff Sessions sends in armed Federal Agents and crack down on these law breaking states .
How about those states that are violating federal marijuana laws? These states are actually collecting taxes off of those ILLEGAL sales of marijuana. I hope Jeff Sessions sends in armed Federal Agents and crack down on these law breaking states .
GROW UP TROLL!!! Again you equate bread with water...totally different, but you know that already. You just choose to play your stupid games! You apparently having nothing of intelligent content to contribute to the topic of the thread!
JUST BECAUSE SISSY SAYS SO DOESN'T MAKE IT SO...BUT HE THINKS IT DOES!!!!! JUST BECAUSE MC1 SAYS SO DOESN'T MAKE IT SO!!!!!
I agree...let sanctuary cities manage and pay for their own undocumented/illegal immigrants.
I support states right of non-enforcement of federal law. Next step...States not enforcing federal income tax law.
Since states are providing sanctuary for people breaking federal law, I would support federal income tax sanctuary cities!
I certainly support states right not to enforce fed law.... isnt that what the 10 th amendment says already ? and isnt the 10 ammentment why the fed gov wont be able to take $ away ?
You already know this. You must like professional wrestling
-In the sanctuary city ICE will need a warrent signed by a judge. They they wont be ableto just troll - lets say, the courthouse because they heard someone is gonna be there going to court.
Dont let that word illegal fool you It is as illegal as not paying your student loan- it is a cival offence- at least it starts out that way
-In the sanctuary city ICE will need a warrent signed by a judge. They they wont be ableto just troll - lets say, the courthouse because they heard someone is gonna be there going to court.
Dont let that word illegal fool you It is as illegal as not paying your student loan- it is a cival offence- at least it starts out that way
Does ice need a warrant? The 14th Amendment doesn't recognize illegal immigrants as citizens. When I go to Canada, I get stopped at the border and there is plenty of searching and questioning without a warrant or probable cause.
If you intentionally defraud the federal government to secure a federally backed student loan, that would be illegal because your intent was to break the law. If you can't pay student loan debt because you cant find a job is different than intentionally defrauding with no intent to pay it back. Immigrating with the intent of avoiding immigration law is illegal because of intent.
But, once the illegal immigrant is in the country, the state has no obligation to assist the feds to detain and deport. Also, the fedeal government has no obligation to provide funding to states.
My grandparents and my uncle of 4 years old, came here from Italy almost 100 years ago. Before they were allowed to come to America, they needed a sponsor already established in this country. Then they needed to have a physical and the mandated vaccines. Then they were allowed to come to Ellis Island where their sponsor was there waiting for them and there was proper documentation. My grandfather actually came here first and a year later my grandmother and uncle was allowed to follow. I don't know immigration laws, but it seems obvious that these laws are different today.
Does ice need a warrant? The 14th Amendment doesn't recognize illegal immigrants as citizens. When I go to Canada, I get stopped at the border and there is plenty of searching and questioning without a warrant or probable cause.
If you intentionally defraud the federal government to secure a federally backed student loan, that would be illegal because your intent was to break the law. If you can't pay student loan debt because you cant find a job is different than intentionally defrauding with no intent to pay it back. Immigrating with the intent of avoiding immigration law is illegal because of intent.
But, once the illegal immigrant is in the country, the state has no obligation to assist the feds to detain and deport. Also, the fedeal government has no obligation to provide funding to states.
Not repaying your student loan is illegal. Although illegal isnt typically used in civil offenses . like illegal alien.
The way things are now- ICE doesn't necessarily need a warrant - If you are going to be a sanctuary city ICE is gonna need more paperwork. - A warrant . The 10th amendment limits federal power and authority . The feds wont be taking any funding back any time soon.
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