At two competing immigration events, salsa music crossed the divide. Or was that a polka beat?
You could almost say there was musical common ground between the two camps of foes assembled at City Hall Saturday.
In front of City Hall, about two dozen members and supporters of Community Watchdog protested illegal immigration and criticized the administration of Mayor John DeStefano for welcoming undocumented immigrants to the city. (They were also ticked off that a Mexican flag was flying on the Green.)
Inside City Hall people were welcomed at a “Family Day” celebration to sign up for New Haven’s immigrant-friendly municipal ID card, which has caused conservative outside groups assembled by the Watchdog Project to declare a form of political war.
As Watchdog leaders spoke through a tinny sound system on the sidewalk, half a dozen musicians set up about 25 feet away, banging out Latin rhythms on homemade drums and other instruments.
“Their rhythm’s getting better,” one of the Watchdog speakers commented. “I like it.”
Watchdog organizer Ted Pechinski spoke briefly and accused the musicians of trying to drown out the speakers. But he picked up a polka beat to the music.
Watchdog chief strategist Dustin Gold (pictured) said after rallying for awhile, he told his supporters to come in to get some of the free food set out for Family Day. So there they were — sworn enemies on opposite sides of the immigration divide, noshing together.
Toward the end of the two-hour event, a group of anti-immigrant protesters gathered near the musicians, who were still playing their Latin beat. Immigrant rights activists John Jairo Lugo laughed and said, “We’re having more fun over here!”
Asked about the music afterward, Pechinski (pictured at the top of the story) denied the music was a polka, the iconic dance of Poland. But said it had a similar two-beat rhythm.
Asked if he is Polish, first Pechniski said yes. Then he corrected himself: “I’m an American of Polish descent.” Asked if he dances the polka, he responded in the affirmative, and indicated he had pretty darn good moves on the dance floor.
Who Protested, & Why
“I’m a United States citizen,” said Community Watchdog member Joan Morgan of North Haven (pictured).
“I believe very firmly in immigration rights,” she said. “However, I also believe very firmly it should be legal immigration, and I believe people who come here illegally should not be usurping the rights and the services that American citizens are in such desperate need of. I believe our country is becoming more socialistic, where individual rights are not so much respected, as much as global rights for everyone; that [we’re becoming] an entitlement society, and I believe things should be earned, not automatically given to people, and that includes residency in the United States as well as citizenship. I believe John DeStefano and his resident card program has just exacerbated the whole situation about illegal immigrants, and I think it’s hurt the whole state of Connecticut.”
Morgan said she was disappointed in the protest turnout. “I would have expected more people to be here because it affects us all.”
Eric Sleeth (pictured), an East Havener who’s a student at Southern, attended the Watchdog rally despite having a broken ankle. “It required a little determination to get down here,” he said, “but I thought it was pretty important” to support the group’s members who had “revealed” such things as Community Services Administrator Kica Matos’s “prior affiliation with Junta for Progressive Action, where she authored what was essentially the sanctuary city policy.”
When told that the city had publicized Matos’s previous job from the start — that her leadership on the immigration issue was a key reason DeStefano gave for hiring her — Sleeth switched gear. “The biggest problem,” he said, “is that while the city of New Haven is running a huge budget gap, laying off 34 city employees just recently, the mayor and community services administrator are encouraging, by establishing this sanctuary city policy, more and more individuals to come to this city.”
He said he understands that some undocumented workers do pay taxes. But he added that much of their earnings are sent “back to Mexico.”
Why Supporters Showed Up
About 100 people , most with children in tow, entered City Hall to hear another kind of music (the local nine-member Taubl family, singing beautiful harmonies), collect information on city and privately run services, and specifically be invited to sign up for the Elm City resident card.
Josh Smith (pictured) has lived in Westville since last December. He said he came to City Hall on Saturday just to get his ID “so I could use the library and have parking and all the benefits of the card all in one.”
As for New Haven being the first city in the country to offer such an ID to all residents, he said, “I think it’s great, because it lets everybody use city services and stay safe and feel more a part of the community. That way they’re more likely to give back to the community they live in.”
Husham Hussain, a refugee from Iraq who arrived in April with his wife and three children, attended Family Day. Even though he followed all the procedures and is on the road to citizenship, he was sympathetic to those who come here illegally.
“They are forced to leave their country, their families, their friends, and come here, and be illegal, and suffer here in America. My heart is with them. I support them, and I wish they can enjoy life here and be legal here.” Click here for a previous story on Hussain and his upcoming job at a new New Haven magnet school. Click here to hear him tell his story.
Hussain (who asked that he not be photographed for fear of retribution against his siblings still in Iraq) works part-time at IRIS, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, which helped settle his family. He also teaches Arabic.
David Muniz (pictured with his daughter, Alexandra, 7), said, “It’s a family day, and this is my family. I’m a single parent, and I thought maybe I could meet some people and enjoy the day.” He said he’d like to buy a home; he was looking for information on raising his credit score. “I just want what everyone else wants,” he said.
Asked if he has a resident ID or was planning to get one, he first said he didn’t need one because, “I’m a citizen.” When told it was for all residents, he said he would relinquish his spot for someone who needed the card more. When told it’s unlimited, he said he didn’t really need the card. But when given more information about its advantages, he said he’d consider it. He said he’d heard rumors that the cards were just for undocumented residents, “to document ‘em, and transport ‘em out.”