New York passed a new law designed to protect citizens from incitement to hatred.
For the use of the term «illegal immigrant» in an offensive context, a threat to call immigration or the invitation «to return to your home country» will be fined in the amount of up to $250 000.
The law will also prosecute those who are prohibited to communicate to the customer in the store in another language and requires to speak English.
The Commission on human rights has defined such behavior as discrimination based on immigration status.
No human being is “illegal.” Calling someone an “illegal” or an “illegal alien” to demean them violates New York City’s protections based on immigration status and national origin. Read more: https://t.co/P6MA5MQR0I pic.twitter.com/tsCQcGIvPM
— NYC Human Rights (@NYCCHR) September 26, 2019
The document is 29 pages describes in detail examples of behavior that could be interpreted as discrimination.
For example, the landlord does not respond to complaints from the families of the Indians on cockroaches and mold in the apartment and threatens to call ICE if they go to housing court. Or the seller in the store requires two buyers who are talking to each other in Thai, speak English or go back to their country.
«The face of increasingly hostile national rhetoric we will do everything we can to immigrant communities could live with dignity and respect, without harassment and bias,» said Carmelyn Malalis, Commissioner of the Agency for human rights.
Mayor De Blasio commented on the new law, writing on Twitter: «If you come to a city known for its hospitality to immigrants, and trying to incite hatred, there are consequences».
On Thursday, the mayor’s office announced that the city will allocate an additional $1 million in legal help to undocumented immigrants who are faced with the threat of deportation.
BREAKING:
New York City has made it illegal to threaten to call ICE based on a discriminatory motive or to tell someone «go back to your country.» Hate has no place here. pic.twitter.com/8PaIozjQty
— City of New York (@nycgov) September 26, 2019
Opponents of the law insist that the term «illegal immigrant» is a legal and is used in a Federal court.
