Photo by Helder Mira
Monday evening, July 20th, Council Chambers was filled with around 150 supporters of an ordinance to restrict city employees and police officers from inquiring about a resident's immigration status. The ordinance was introduced by Councilman Luis Cotto (Working Families Party) and the Public Hearing was for city council to hear supporter and opponents' views before voting on the resolution on Monday, August 11th. There were no speakers opposed to the resolution, but at least 50 of the present speaking in support. Several immigrants recounted their own situations, such as Mr. Cesar Torres (pictured). After contacting 9-1-1 to report the stabbing of a friend at a party, Mr. Torres himself was held by Hartford Police once it was discovered he was in the country illegally. He was subsequently deported back to Peru, separating him from his American wife and newborn child. Now back in the country legally, his marriage ruined by the experience, he appealed to the Hartford City Council to not allow the same thing to happen to other residents who would report crimes to the police or seek to report other issues to city departments.
The Hartford Courant's Mark Spencer reported on the Public Hearing, garnering front page coverage.
That coverage attracted the ire of CNN's anti-immigration pundit on the mission, Lou Dobbs, referencing to Council Cotto:
Well the city of Hartford, Connecticut tonight is apparently considering the idea of becoming the newest city to give sanctuary to illegal aliens. Hartford City Councilman Luis Cotto (ph) is proposing a new ordinance in Hartford that would stop the Hartford Police Department from asking suspects about their immigration status.
Councilman Cotto (ph) said quote, "Hartford has real issues to deal with. Hartford does not have the luxury to have its police act as federal law enforcement officers." I guess he doesn't consider the war on drugs illegal smuggling to be serious issues or identity theft. This is quite a remarkable statement for a man to make who supposedly wants to work as a public servant. It looks like he wants to serve someone other than the citizens of Hartford.
In typical ignorant fascist fashion, Mr. Dobbs clearly did not read the ordinance and just spoke out of his arse. The ordinance does not protect 'suspects' of crimes, but those who would report them. Could Mr. Dobbs' remarks be retaliation for Councilman Cotto's refusal to speak to him on the air?
For more on the subject, follow the jump.
(In full disclosure, Councilman Cotto is a personal friend and my wife, Tara Parrish, was a major organizer for the ordinance and the public turnout on Monday)
2 comments:
Think there's any reason why Cotto was singled out, and there was no mention of the many supporters that this proposed ordinance has been receiving? He might have introduced it, but it's hardly unpopular.
Anyway, Dobbs is a twerp. He doesn't know shit about Hartford, or else he wouldn't be able to say "It looks like he wants to serve someone other than the citizens of Hartford."
Do we even have a huge identity theft and smuggling problem here? If so, I hadn't noticed. Perhaps I should spend more time manning the border of Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
You wrote "arse." That's funny.
-Brian
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