April 19, 2009


Cresitello accepts immigration group's invitation to speak

Morristown mayor to discuss deputizing cops as federal agents

By Minhaj Hassan
Daily Record

MORRISTOWN -- Mayor Donald Cresitello will likely face one of his tougher audiences at St. Margaret's Church next month when he speaks about his application for the federal 287G program that deputizes police officers to act as federal immigration agents.

Wind of the Spirit leader Stuart Sydenstricker said he was pleased the mayor accepted his invitation to speak at the church at 10 a.m. on May 2. His group, a local immigrant resource center on Market Street, will sponsor the forum. The church is located at 6 Sussex Ave.

Cresitello has been at odds with Wind of the Spirit, which has publicly opposed the mayor's application.

The group believes it will discriminate against the town's Hispanic community, and prevent those residents from reporting crime to local police.

The mayor, who recently spoke at Yale University about the program, said he hopes the forum will correct any misperceptions people may have about the program.

"I've had a relationship with them for long time," he said. "I think it's important for public officials to communicate with the people who will be most affected by this program."

He hopes people will realize the program is not intended to just take people off the street willy-nilly, but remove felons from the community.

"I think when people understand that it's going to make them safer, they will support it," he said.

While he said he has had a relationship with Wind of the Spirit for some 20 years, he said this was the first time the group had asked him to speak.