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KW: One of the leftover proposals from the spell of anti-immigrant legislation that was bubbling in the Suffolk County Legislature is the bill IR1105, which will receive a day in court this Friday. See information below. Video from the time the bill was being proposed is at the bottom of this post. And, also, for thoughtful, compassionate, and up-to-the-minute coverage about the issue of immigration on Long Island, you can always go to: www.longislandwins.com
The Suffolk County Legislature is now taking some (watered-down) measures to be supportive (and not punitive and discriminatory) about immigrants. The immigrant support community has their fingers crossed in hopes the direction is changing.
A lot of the direction changed when Ecuadorian immigrant Marcelo Lucero was murdered in Patchogue, which created more understanding for the plight of immigrants, and also uncovered a pattern people had not recognized before of government and law enforcement ignoring oppression against immigrants (both legal and illegal.) With the publicity and community sentiment in support of healing, the Suffolk County Legislature has been forced to change its tune in some manner. We shall see if the efforts they put forward will be implemented positively. One example of the new direction is the Legislature’s creation of a “Hate Crimes Task Force”, which could be a very good thing, if the appointments are made well and the purpose is carried out with care and respect.
But, for now, the wheels of justice are turning slowly on the old bill 1105, which immigrant advocates accuse was not handled properly in its legislative committee, and which received a hearing which they (and the NY State Committee on Open Government) state was not proper and open. A matter such as this can have a big effect on how government operates, and how much local officials can expect to be held accountable to the public. So, the oral arguments should be informative on a variety of levels.
Suffolk County IR1105 being heard Supreme Court
Posted by: “LIIA” Long Island Immigrant Alliance
Tue Feb 24, 2009 12:04 pm (PST)
This Friday, February 27, 2009 at 10am in Brooklyn: New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division-2nd Dept. Scheduled To Hear Oral Arguments on IR1105 Montano vs. The County Legislature of the County of Suffolk
The New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, 2nd Dept. has scheduled oral arguments in the matter of Montano vs. The County Legislature of the County of Suffolk for Friday, February 27th 2009 at 10:00AM. Last year, Legislator Ricardo Montano successfully sued the Presiding Officer and the County Legislature in State Supreme Court for improperly discharging Introductory Resolution 1105-2008 from the Consumer Protection Committee, in violation of the Rules of the Legislature. After the Court’s decision the Legislature voted in a closed door meeting, later deemed by the NYS Committee on Open Government to have violated the Freedom of Information Act and the Open Meetings Law, to appeal. The Appellate Division granted an expedited appeal. Serge Martinez, Esq., an Associate Clinical Professor of Law at Hofstra University School of Law is representing Legislator Montano, along with the Brentwood firm of Collado,
Collado & Fiore, LLP. Professor Serge Martinez, Esq. will argue before the Court on Legislator Montano’s behalf. Mr. Lindsay and the Suffolk County Legislature are being represented by a private, Nassau County law firm.
When:
Friday, February 27, 2009 at 10:00AM
Where:
Supreme Court of the State of New York
45 Monroe Street
Appellate Division-Second Judicial Department
Brooklyn, New York 11201
718-875-1300
Anyone interested in hearing the oral argument is encouraged to attend
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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSsZszi7yYU]
Filed under: activism, immigration, local, long island, Long Island Politics, New York State Politics, News, Political Websites, progressive politics, social & economic justice Tagged: | "Montano vs. The County Legislature", Appellate Division, court, Hate Crime, Hate Crime Task Force, illegal immigrants, immigration, law, Legislature, Long Island WINS, Marcelo Lucero, Open Government, Patchogue, Suffolk County, undocumented workers
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