(WHITE PLAINS, NY) Westchester Democratic members of the Board of Legislators were disappointed in some of the statements made by members of the Westchester County Human Rights Commission (HRC) during today’s meeting of the committee on Public Safety & Social Services. The meeting, chaired by Legislator Ben Boykin (D-White Plains), was convened in response to the uptick in incidents of hate over the past few weeks. Specifically, instances of bomb threats and graffiti intended to harass and terrorize Westchester’s Jewish community.

(WHITE PLAINS, NY) Tonight, members of the Board of Legislators passed a Local Law aimed to disable one tool used by criminals around the country before this trend came to Westchester. The Correctional Facility Safety Law passed with a unanimous Bi-Partisan vote. This law was first introduced by Legislator Ben Boykin after hearing from corrections officers of the latest method being used by inmates to get their hands on contraband. In cases around the country, someone on the outside of the facility was flying the contraband overhead with an unmanned drone and dropping it in for an inmate to retrieve.

(WHITE PLAINS, NY) Fear of further immigration raids coupled with the President’s comment that ICE actions are “Military Operations,” Westchester Democrats feel a sense of urgency to make this proposed bill the law of Westchester County. Grassroots advocates from all over, as well as various immigration law experts, have provided input that will strengthen these protections for all Westchester residents.

On Wednesday, February 8th at 6:00 p.m. Legislator David Tubiolo (R) Yonkers, Mount Vernon, hosted the first Hispanic Community Outreach Forum at Dia Y Noche Restaurant (640 McLean Avenue, Yonkers). The Forum was designed to inform the Hispanic community of options Westchester County offers to help in services and quality of life, but also hear the most pressing issues from the people themselves.