Pouring gasoline on the fires of hate: Anti-immigrant rhetoric hurts all of Rockland

Immigrant-aid and immigrant-justice organizations like ours agree with Rockland County Executive Ed Day, Orangetown Supervisor Teresa Kenny, and Rep. Mike Lawler that there’s a crisis in Rockland County.

But it’s not the trumped-up, divisive “crisis” that prompted Day’s emergency order. The real emergency isn’t a few hundred federally-vetted, New York City-funded asylum seekers fleeing human-rights nightmares in their home countries. It’s the thousands of immigrants in Rockland — the hard-working people who mow your lawns, cook your restaurant meals, care for your elders — living in overcrowded fire-traps, struggling with food insecurity due to gouging rents and rock-bottom pay. It’s the lack of protection immigrants have from wage theft by unscrupulous employers or being swindled by predatory lawyers. It’s the crushing failure of the East Ramapo Central School District, the majority of whose Black and Brown students are immigrants.

When it comes to these crises — the real crises — there’s been little outrage from elected officials — and even less action.

The difference between the performative outrage of Day, Kenny and Lawler — in recent press conferences and on conservative media outlets and their indifference and inaction when it comes to urgent crises like educational injustice in East Ramapo and, unsafe rentals in Spring Valley — is a case study in selective outrage. It’s also a master class in scapegoating for political gain.

Let’s separate the facts from the fear-mongering:

A strain on Rockland resources?

FEAR: According to Day and Lawler, Mayor Eric Adams’ effort to provide shelter for asylum-seekers by relocating some to Rockland strains our county’s financial resources.

FACT: The asylum-seekers’ food, lodging and local transportation to help them find jobs would be paid for by New York City.

Seeking asylum

FEAR: Day and Lawler have repeatedly referred to asylum-seekers as “illegal.”

FACT: Not only is this a dehumanizing term that smears people fleeing violence and oppression as criminals, it’s false. Asylum-seekers who come through the U.S.’s southern border are documented. The federal government processes asylum-seekers using credible fear screenings and asylum merit interviews. Yet Day falsely stated they haven’t been screened. Kenny claimed not to know “if these people have been vetted.” And Lawler inflamed his base with an online petition warning that “New York City Mayor Eric Adams just sent HUNDREDS of illegal adult male migrants into your backyard!” We expect our elected officials to familiarize themselves with the basic facts before sounding off and to avoid spreading incendiary “fake news” that puts Black and Brown immigrants in our communities at risk.

Stoking fears on crime

FEAR: Kenny has repeatedly (and baselessly) raised fears about whether these “single men have criminal records.” On conservative radio host Rob Astorino’s WABC show, Day conjured the specter of “single adult males” being housed near schools and, in an ugly echo of Trump’s notorious remarks about Mexican immigrants (“They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” ), told Astorino that “within that cadre of people who are coming here, …we have child rapists, we have criminals, we have…MS-13.” Astorino, of course, is a former Republican gubernatorial candidate who was Westchester County executive from 2009 to 2017.

FACT: Day’s, Kenny’s and Lawler’s anti-immigrant alarmism reinforces a nasty stereotype: that immigrants —especially “single adult males” from south of the border — are more likely than native-born Americans to be criminals. That’s wrong — and it’s racist.

The truth is exactly the opposite. Study after study shows, as the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has pointed out, that “immigrants are far less likely to commit crimes — especially violent crimes — than native-born Americans.” In fact, immigrants “have become less and less crime-prone with each census since 1980. By 2000, native-born Americans were five times more likely to be incarcerated than immigrants.” That’s especially true, notes Carnegie, for “Mexican, Salvadoran and Guatemalan young men” — the very people demonized by Day, Kenny and Lawler.

Anti-immigrant rhetoric by elected officials spreads lies, whips up fear and sows division for partisan political gain. Pouring gasoline on the fires of racism, it puts Rockland’s immigrants in real danger at a moment when white supremacists, many motivated by anti-immigrant hate, pose the greatest domestic threat of committing “lethal violence against civilians,” according to the FBI. It makes the Rockland we love, a Rockland enriched by its diverse communities and cultures, a meaner, more menacing place — for all of us.

Day, Lawler and Kenny have a responsibility to keep all Rocklanders safe; to cultivate tolerance and mutual respect; to speak factually; and to represent all residents, not just partisan extremists.

They should devote their energies to the real crises that confront our county. They could start by reaching out to groups like ours. When they’re ready to step up, we stand ready to help.The writers are directors of Proyecto Faro/Project Lighthouse, an immigrant-led organizing effort allied with immigrant and non-immigrant religious and secular organizations to galvanize support for and action among those in Rockland County who feel insecure due to their immigration status. We strive to create solidarity across boundaries of legal status, country of origin, and religious affiliation.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Rockland County asylum seekers: Anti-immigrant rhetoric hurts us all