Monday, February 6, 2023
Subscriber Login
My Profile
SpotlightNews
  • Home
  • News
    • Election 2022
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Crime and Police
    • Discover-Towns
      • Discover Coeymans Selkirk and Feura Bush
      • Discover Delmar
      • Discover Glenmont
      • Discover Guilderland
      • Discover Latham and Boght
      • Discover Loudonville
      • Discover Menands
      • Discover Slingerlands
      • Discover Village of Colonie
      • Discover Voorheesville and New Scotland
    • Fire Departments
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Obituaries
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Food and Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
    • Music
    • Theatre
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
    • New Scotland
  • Classifieds
    • Employment – Hire Power
    • Services In the Spotlight
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber login
    • Give the gift of news
    • Join us – subscribe today
    • Newsletter sign up
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Election 2022
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Crime and Police
    • Discover-Towns
      • Discover Coeymans Selkirk and Feura Bush
      • Discover Delmar
      • Discover Glenmont
      • Discover Guilderland
      • Discover Latham and Boght
      • Discover Loudonville
      • Discover Menands
      • Discover Slingerlands
      • Discover Village of Colonie
      • Discover Voorheesville and New Scotland
    • Fire Departments
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Obituaries
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Food and Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
    • Music
    • Theatre
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
    • New Scotland
  • Classifieds
    • Employment – Hire Power
    • Services In the Spotlight
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber login
    • Give the gift of news
    • Join us – subscribe today
    • Newsletter sign up
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
Spotlight News
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion Blogs

FRANKLY SPEAKING: Bethlehem board deserves credit

Jim Franco by Jim Franco
February 23, 2017
in Blogs, Frankly Speaking, Opinion
Reading Time: 3 mins read

I’ve got to give the Bethlehem Town Board credit.

It stayed above the fray, didn’t cave to public sentiment or personal politics and opted to not openly declare the town a “sanctuary city” or, I guess, a “sanctuary town.”

I’m not entirely sure what a sanctuary city is. There are some who say it means extending benefits like housing and food stamps to people here illegally. Others say it means, regardless of the circumstances, those here illegally won’t be arrested and deported if they are in such a place.

Thing is, Bethlehem, or any town, doesn’t have the authority to grant subsidies. Few municipalities do, actually. Welfare, unemployment and food stamps are dolled out through the state and even where there are housing authorities – like the Albany Housing Authority – they are governed by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

And it’s certainly not a local police officer’s job to run around and check green cards. If an illegal is arrested for something else, it’s up to the feds to handle the immigration end of it.

So, rather than make an inane political statement given the current climate, and near rabid hatred for Pres. Trump, the board opted to keep things status quo, a common sense approach for any municipality to take regarding immigration.

Basically, the board instructed the police to keep doing what they have been doing, or not doing, and not consider immigration status when dealing with a crime victim or a witness.

   In other words, police will continue to investigate a crime the same if the victim’s last name is Smith or Gonzales. Stands to reason. The objective is, or should be, to catch the criminal, not use an unfortunate incident to deport someone.

The same applies to witnesses to a crime, or anyone else who wants to cooperate with law enforcement.

We need look no further than the 2014 quadruple murder in Guilderland. District Attorney David Soares, during a press conference a year later, said authorities are no closer to solving the case on that day than they were on Oct. 8 when Jin Chen, his wife Yan Li and their two sons who attended Guilderland Elementary School were viciously murdered in their Western Avenue home.

At the press conference, a frustrated Soares said the investigation has been thwarted by a language barrier and a pervasive distrust of law enforcement among the particular segment of the Chinese community involved.

Early on in the investigation, Soares publicly pledged immunity from deportation to anyone with information willing to come forward, but so far nobody has and it appears unlikely anyone will.

What’s more important, finding someone here washing dishes without a green card or someone evil enough to kill a family of five?

It’s impossible to say if those who might know something know of the olive branch Soares extended. Or if anyone who might find themselves in a similar – if hopefully less horrendous – circumstance even know about Bethlehem’s policy of not considering immigration when dealing with a victim of, or the witness to, a crime.

But, I guess, it’s better than having the illegals know they will get sent back if they even ask a police officer for directions to Stewart’s.

Obviously, the entire scenario exemplifies why it is better for everyone if people are made to follow the proper channels before coming here. I’m willing to bet a person without the fear of deportation hanging over his or her head is more willing to cooperate with authorities and, if needed, qualify for the benefits mentioned above just as any other naturalized citizen.

Immigration just isn’t something local police departments and town boards should have to deal with.

It’s a national issue, and politicians of both parties have been trying to get a handle on for decades. How Trump went about his so-called immigration ban makes the proverbial bull in a china shop look like a ballerina, but maybe because of it – with the courts having a final say in how it all shakes out – we will get an immigration policy fair to all involved, including those who followed the law and came here through the proper channels.

Jim Franco can be reached at 878-1000 or by email at [email protected] 

Tags: Frankly speaking
ShareTweetShareShare
Previous Post

Letter to the Editor: The Lions Club says ‘Thank You’

Next Post

‘Ice graffiti,’ a conversation on ephemeral art in public

Leave Comment

Stay Connected with Us

Recent News

Video: Man kicks out patrol car window, spits in face of ADA

February 6, 2023

Colonie Area Weekly Police Blotter January 31st – February 1st

February 5, 2023

Bethlehem Area Weekly Police Blotter January 31st – February 1st

February 4, 2023
Spotlight News lists calls from Delmar, Elsmere, North Bethlehem, Slingerlands and Selkirk fire companies. These department are comprised of local volunteers. Please consider serving your neighbors as a volunteer firefighter. This data is compiled from the Town of Bethlehem Communications Center.

Bethlehem Volunteer Fire Log Jan. 20 – Jan. 27

February 4, 2023

Hot Stories This Week

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Fear to Storm Cheerleading Competition at Saratoga High School on Saturday, Jan. 28.

SPOTTED: Cheer from Bethlehem and Colonie at Fear the Storm Competition

January 31, 2023
Bethlhem, Guilderland and Shaker Gymnastics travelled to Saratoga on Friday, Jan. 13.

SPOTTED: Bethlehem, Guilderland, Shaker and Saratoga compete at qualifying meet

January 16, 2023

SPOTTED: Colonie wrestlers fall to Saratoga 49-18 

January 24, 2023

Colonie Area Weekly Police Blotter January 31st – February 1st

February 5, 2023

Video: Man kicks out patrol car window, spits in face of ADA

February 6, 2023

Colonie Area Weekly Police Blotter January 31st – February 1st

February 5, 2023

Bethlehem Area Weekly Police Blotter January 31st – February 1st

February 4, 2023
Spotlight News lists calls from Delmar, Elsmere, North Bethlehem, Slingerlands and Selkirk fire companies. These department are comprised of local volunteers. Please consider serving your neighbors as a volunteer firefighter. This data is compiled from the Town of Bethlehem Communications Center.

Bethlehem Volunteer Fire Log Jan. 20 – Jan. 27

February 4, 2023
Spotlight News

Spotlight News, The Spot 518 and Capital District Family Now are divisions of Community Media Group, LLC. Our local offices are located at 341 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY 12054. You can contact us at 518.439.4949.

Browse

Follow Us

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact the Editor
  • Employment
  • Our Team
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2022 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Election 2022
  • News
    • Crime and Police
    • Fire Departments
    • Milestones
    • Real Estate and Housing
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Spotlight On Business
    • Spotlight on Finance
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Theatre
    • Music
    • Food and Drink
    • Health & Fitness
  • Hot Spots Calendar
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Opinion
  • Classifieds
    • Advertiser Login
    • Service Directory
    • Hire Power – Employer Spotlight
  • Capital District Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
  • Log In
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949