Concerned that there could be "chaos in our community" because of deportation threats by President Trump, East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larsen announced a press conference on Tuesday evening at 6 in the Emergency Services Building to ease fears. The public is invited.
"The big point is to make sure people know that they can report a crime regardless of their status," he said in a phone call. "The last thing we want are people frightened by their local police. Otherwise, people can take advantage of them. They could become victims because a bad guy knows they're afraid to report a crime. Our local police are not the immigration police, and they are not enforcing immigration status."
Mayor Larsen said police on the East End are all following the same policy, mirroring that of Suffolk County. If police apprehend someone out of legal status with a criminal warrant, they will be held, but someone with just a civil warrant would not be turned over to the federal authorities. "Nothing has changed there," he said.
Appearing along with Mayor Larsen will be Jeff Erickson, the village police chief, and Sandra Melendez, an East Hampton Village Board member who is an immigration lawyer and native Spanish speaker, all of whom will be available to answer questions.
The mayor said the press conference could also be livestreamed. "There's lots of fear in the community. The people we're trying to reach may be afraid to come to that building."
