After asking a Latino lawmaker, Jose Alvarado if he is a citizen during a public hearing, U.S. Congressman Mike Lawler is receiving backlash and criticism. Local activists said it is an illustration of the type of profiling Latinos are seeing as a result of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Alvarado, who is a U.S. citizen, and the Vice Chair of the Westchester County Board of Legislators says Lawler’s response left him appalled and some other members of the board shocked.
Alvarado, who represents the 17th District, which covers Southwest Yonkers stated, “To be honest, my jaw just fell; I didn’t know how to react.”
The New York Working Families released the following statement on what they call Mike Lawler’s “shocking comments at the County Board Meeting.”
In response to Congressman Lawler’s racist and xenophobic comments questioning Legislator Jose Alvarado’s citizenship, NYWFP Westchester-Putnam Chairs Jennifer Cabrera and Noah Gitta released the following statement:
“We strongly condemn Congressman Mike Lawler’s insensitive and shocking comments in the Westchester County Board of Legislators meeting. Clearly, the Congressman believes that the status of Latinos is always under question. We doubt that Congressman Lawler would’ve questioned the immigration status of legislators who are not Hispanic, including the two County Legislators who immigrated from Europe. One must be a US citizen to hold public office in Westchester, something that Congressman Lawler should know.
“More concerning than his comments to Legislator Alvarado is Lawler’s support for the Trump Regime’s mass deportation agenda. Immigrant families in Congressional District 17 and throughout the country are living in fear, regardless of their immigration status. We believe that everyone residing in our country must be treated with respect and dignity.”
“What is his right to question another duly elected official, a high-ranking duly elected official in Westchester County about his citizenship status,” says Alvarado.
Lawler addressed his comments a short time later during the meeting, “Yes, I understand to hold office, you have to be a citizen,” Lawler said.
Honduras is where Alvarado was born. He told News 12 that he has since experienced the American dream. On the Westchester County Board of Legislators, he is the first Latino Majority Leader. Though not for himself, he wants Lawler to apologize.
“The community needs to hear an apology from him,” Alvarado says.
Yonkers City Councilmember Corazon Pineda-Isaac also has organized in conjunction with Hispanic Democrats of Westchester, elected officials, community leaders, and advocates, a rally at the Westchester County Office, Thursday morning at the Westchester County Office, to denounce recent racist and xenophobic remarks made by Rep. Mike Lawler, who questioned the citizenship status of a Latino official.
“The comments, which have sparked outrage among Latino communities, reflect a dangerous and discriminatory attitude toward immigrants and people of color,” Pineda-Issac shared.
The Democratic Caucus of the Westchester County Board of Legislators also released the following statement:
“Rep. Lawler’s actions are deeply disrespectful to the Vice Chairman and an open affront to Latinos and all people of color in Westchester County and beyond. Congressman Lawler should know that all elected officials in this state, including those in Westchester County, must be U.S. citizens to hold office. We stand firmly by our colleague, José Alvarado and demand a full and immediate apology.”
Mike Lawler plays his cards close to his chest so thank you Mr. Woodson for bringing this tell-tale insight into someone who will likely be our next governor. On any of his campaign literature, Lawler never included the word Republican or any clue. He talks of himself as ‘bipartisan’ when pressed. His voting record says otherwise.
fyi don’t you have to be a citizen to be a legislator? Surely Lawler must know that.
In addition to his biases concerning race, he also then checks the next box, women. Voting more than ten times against securing our bodily autonomy yet keeps stating that he would not vote for Trump’s national ban. Next up: On CNN, on Roy Wood Jr’s show, he sang a song, while smiling and laughing, about the genocide of the Palestinians. The smile was familiar…. Ah yes, same smile on his face as he dressed up as Michael Jackson.