Thread: Mexico backing day laborers in Farmingville evictions

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longi ... 5508.story

Mexico backing day laborers
The nation’s consul general blasts Levy for Farmingville evictions, saying they have increased tensions

BART JONES
STAFF WRITER

July 6, 2005

The Mexican government entered the fray in Farmingville on Tuesday, with that nation's consul general in Manhattan denouncing the evictions of dozens of day laborers in the community, including some who were left homeless.

Arturo Sarukhan, who as consul general oversees the Mexican population in the tristate area and is one of the highest-ranking Mexican officials in the United States, criticized Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy for actions that he said had increased tensions in the community.

Sarukhan said he was not questioning Levy's right to enforce safety and fire codes. But he said that evictions that left some Latino workers homeless in Farmingville weren't the solution.

"The recipe is not vilifying the Mexicans," said Sarukhan, who sent two aides to Farmingville on Tuesday on a fact-finding mission and plans to visit himself later this week. "The bad guys are not the day laborers. They are the unscrupulous landlords."

He added in an interview that "the tensions are there and I don't think Mr. Levy's actions are helping to bring the tensions down. ... He is simply making these issues fester and blow up."

Levy said through a spokesman that he was not stoking tensions in a community that has already seen violence against Mexican immigrants, and that he was taking on a hot-button issue most politicians have ignored.

"This is the first elected official in memory who has had the temerity to tackle what has long been a taboo issue," spokesman Ed Dumas said. He noted that the consul's criticism of the housing crackdown was misplaced.

"I think the criticism would be more aptly directed at the slumlords who are victimizing the Latino community by cramming them into these inhumane and dungeon-like conditions," he said.

He added that Suffolk County would provide social services for any displaced tenants who are eligible, and those who are not -- namely undocumented immigrants -- would be directed to nonprofit agencies.

He also said the county plans to work with Brookhaven Town to "minimize the number of displaced persons" from any future actions.

Brookhaven Town officials say the list of overcrowded houses they are targeting in Farmingville has grown to 156, while another 300 houses elsewhere in Brookhaven also are under investigation.

Sarukhan said he feared the crackdown could produce a "domino effect and have a massive social dislocation impact" involving hundreds of men who could end up homeless, even during the winter.

The day laborers "have rights regardless of whether they are documented or undocumented," he said. "We will do everything we can to make sure those rights are protected."

"I wonder if those fire and safety codes are equally applied throughout the county" in places including Fire Island and the Hamptons, he added. Officials say they plan to enforce the codes uniformly.

According to Brookhaven officials, as many as 104 men lived in three houses that have been shut down in Farmingville in the past two weeks, either by direct order of the town enforcing fire and safety codes or by landlords who received temporary restraining orders to evict the tenants.

Immigrant advocates say the houses contained far fewer men than that, and while some of the displaced tenants have found temporary housing, others are now living in woods. Levy said on Friday the county would send bilingual social services workers along with police to look for day laborers in the woods and give them information about agencies that can provide shelter.

With the debate growing regarding the housing crackdown, immigrant advocacy organizations, church leaders, politicians and others said they plan to hold a news conference and protest today outside Suffolk County offices in Hauppauge.

I'm wondering just what 'rights' these 'undocumented workers' have in this country.?? I'm wondering about the sanity of those 'groups' that want to come forward and protest, give aid and support to lawbreakers. I'm wondering when we're going to start arresting, suing, doing what needs to be done for the benefit of these groups, church and otherwise, who want to break the law, condone breaking the law, and whine and cry when confronted with the fact that there IS a law. sheesh I'm tired of this CRAP. Seems that citizens don't even have the right to mention that this is ILLEGAL.

This Mexican consul is sorta off their native soil isn't it??

RR

Arturo Sarukhan, who as consul general oversees the Mexican population in the tristate area and is one of the highest-ranking Mexican officials in the United States, criticized Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy for actions that he said had increased tensions in the community.

Another loudmouth trying to tell us what to do. They can stay at YOUR house Arturo if you are THAT upset.

He added that Suffolk County would provide social services for any displaced tenants who are eligible, and those who are not -- namely undocumented immigrants -- would be directed to nonprofit agencies.

Direct them back to Mexico or wherever they came from.

Immigrant advocates say the houses contained far fewer men than that, and while some of the displaced tenants have found temporary housing, others are now living in woods. Levy said on Friday the county would send bilingual social services workers along with police to look for day laborers in the woods and give them information about agencies that can provide shelter.

And don't forget that roll of bus tickets out of town.

The day laborers "have rights regardless of whether they are documented or undocumented," he said. "We will do everything we can to make sure those rights are protected."

They have every right to return to Mexico. You can be their chaperone.

President Vicente Fox said Friday that U.S. activists who have condemned a new Mexican postage stamp as racist should read the beloved comic book on which it is based before they make judgments.

"They don't have information, frankly," Fox said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press.

U.S. black activists and the White House on Thursday criticized the stamp featuring Memin Pinguin, a sort of Jim Crow-era image of a black child that has been a cartoon character since the 1940s. The Rev. Jesse Jackson, the Rev. Al Sharpton and leaders of other black and Latino organizations have urged that the stamp be withdrawn.

The stamp is recognition of "character very loved in Mexico and that has absolutely nothing discriminatory about it," said Fox, adding that he himself has been fond of the comic book since childhood.

"And it appears to me that it has provoked a great national unity, because those who are making opinions from outside don't have information."

He said White House spokesman Scott McClellan should have known more before objecting to it Thursday as an example of racial stereotyping.

"Frankly, I don't understand the reaction," Fox said. "Let's hope they inform themselves … and later form an opinion."

Fox spokesman Ruben Aguilar said the government "emphatically rejects these complaints, which are the products of lack of knowledge or people who want publicity."

"By no means is Mexico considering the possibility" of withdrawing the stamp, Aguilar said, accusing critics of being "people who want to take advantage of this … to seek publicity within American society."

Now just imagine if the US had the guts to respond just like the above to Mexico City's criticism of the Farmingville evictions like they responded the Memin Pinguin controversy, it would look something like this!

"Mexican government activists who have condemned Farmingville as racist should read the facts before they make judgments." "They don't have information, frankly," The President said.

"The evictions have absolutely nothing discriminatory about it," said Bush.

"And it appears to me that it has provoked a great national unity, because those who are making opinions from outside the US don't have information."

He said Mexican President Vincente Fox should have known more before objecting to it Thursday as an example of racial stereotyping.

"Frankly, I don't understand the reaction," Bush said. "Let's hope they inform themselves to the laws in the United States and later form an opinion."

President Bush said the government "emphatically rejects these complaints, which are the products of lack of knowledge or people [Fox] who want publicity."

"By no means is United States considering the possibility" of withdrawing the evictions, Bush said, accusing critics of being "people who want to take advantage of this … to seek publicity within Mexican society and gain advantage in the upcoming Mexican elections."

Can we take up a collection to buy a spine for the boys in Washington

Ya gotta give Fox and the Mexican government a little credit, at least they don't wilt like lillys in the hot summer sun everytime some goofy advocate group raises their voices and shakes their fist.