Letters

Recently, when we were knocking on doors in our neighborhood to get signatures to put candidates on the 2024 ballot in Congressional District 1, some said they believed that some people were not going to vote for Democrats because of “all those illegals they allow in. They sap our economy and increase crime in our country.”

We found that we didn’t have enough facts to counter their beliefs on the spot, so we went home and started to do some research. Here is some of what we learned from reputable resources.

Undocumented immigrants contribute billions of dollars in federal, state and local taxes annually. They are largely responsible for providing the labor that keeps our economy running. And even though they pay billions into Social Security, they cannot collect any benefits, because they are not eligible.

According to Anthony Capote, senior policy analyst for the Immigration Research Initiative, “Without immigrants from all walks of life, Long Islanders would have a very hard time going out to eat, caring for their sick and aging loved ones, and keeping their homes clean. Long Islanders should be more focused on protecting these workers than trying to force them out of their communities.” Immigrants, both documented and undocumented, provide the essential labor needed for farm and landscaping here on the East End.

Another concern people have is that undocumented immigrants cause higher levels of crime. But, according to the Brennan Institute, the opposite is true. Studies have shown that communities with significant numbers of immigrants, whether documented or not, have lower crime rates.

We encourage readers of this article to search for information and studies on the impact of undocumented immigrants on our economy and on crime. Perhaps, then, they would open their hearts and minds and realize that immigrants are an asset to our communities both in terms of economics and safety.

Remember, unless you are of Native American descent, you yourself are descended from immigrants, some of whom may have come into the U.S. illegally. And for those who adhere to the principles embedded in both the New and Old Testaments, keep these two in mind:

“I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:31-40).

“The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Leviticus 19:34).

Tina Jacobowitz, Ph.D.

Nicholas Michelli, Ed.D.

Water Mill