Levy under fire at Hate Crimes Task Force meeting

The first meeting of Suffolk's Hate Crimes Task Force Tuesday quickly became a forum for immigrant advocates to blame County Executive Steve Levy for creating an environment hostile to Hispanics.

The task force, charged with finding the root of the county's anti-Hispanic hate crimes, heard from a series of officials who said anti-Hispanic rhetoric poisons the county's atmosphere and either directly or indirectly blamed Levy.

"When government leaders like County Executive Steve Levy permit anti-immigrant discourse, it creates an environment where hate crimes are tolerated," said Maryann Slutsky, the Long Island Wins campaign director.

Though the Wyandanch event, which attracted about 100 people, was billed as an opportunity for hate crime victims to speak about their experiences after the November murder of Ecuadorean immigrant Marcelo Lucero in Patchogue, no speakers identified themselves as a victim. The vast majority of speakers represented an advocacy or community organization.

Several speakers referenced Levy's past support for legislation that required Suffolk contractors to validate employees' legal working status and his statements at a fundraiser last month joking about deporting the restaurant's kitchen workers.

"They don't complain when we paint their houses or we mow their lawn," said Enrique Licea of Wyandanch, a landscaper who said he emigrated from Mexico illegally but later became a legal resident. "But when they want to make a name for themselves, they go into a nice restaurant and complain about immigrants making the food."

Levy, who did not attend the meeting, released a statement saying, "The suggestion that those supporting stronger borders are somehow leading to hate crimes is divisive and unsupportable." Levy added, "Decent people everywhere, regardless of their position on illegal immigration, can always stand united against hate."

Suffolk Police Det. Sgt. Robert Reecks, who leads the department's Hate Crimes unit and sits on the task force, said hate crimes are a learned behavior. "You're not born with hatred, it has to be taught," he said.

Assemb. Phil Ramos (D-Brentwood), a former Suffolk Police detective said it is important to understand how elected leaders' statements affect public sentiment.

"When we have a situation where elected officials are saying, illegal, illegal, illegal," Ramos said, "it comes to a point where those people are not viewed as human."