Westchester County DA Forms Office of Immigrant Affairs
Days after the Westchester County Board of Legislators passed the Immigration Protection Act, a bill that will restrain Westchester from using its resources for immigration enforcement, Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino announced the creation of the Office of Immigrant Affairs (OIA).
With immigrants throughout the county refusing to report crimes because they fear deportation, Scarpino revealed Friday that the new Westchester office would assist victimized immigrants report any type of crime including violent crimes, human trafficking, domestic violence and fraud. The emphasis will be on making the process easier for immigrants to come forward to be a witness to a crime regardless of their immigration status.
“Too often, members of the immigrant community are victims of crimes of economic exploitation or crimes of violence,” Scarpino said in a statement. “With the creation of the Office of Immigrant Affairs, there will be one point of contact within the District Attorney’s Office where immigrants will be able to receive help.”
Lila Kirton, Deputy Bureau Chief of the Office’s Bureau of Strategic Planning and Community Outreach will head the unit. Kirton will serve as a liaison to immigrant communities helping them better understand the criminal justice system if they fall victim to a crime.
Scarpino said with immigrants often defenseless and unaware of their rights, the OIA will combat crimes that target immigrants, including individuals pretending to be Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, businesses that hire immigrant labor workers without compensation, and scammers who sell fake government documents and exploit immigrants with false promises of legal citizenship.
The District Attorney’s Office has also joined the New York State District Attorney’s League of Immigrant Affairs (DALIA), an organization committed to protecting all the residents when they become victims of crimes.
“This office will provide better coordination of these prosecutions and provide greater outreach to the immigrant community,” Scarpino said.
Anyone who believes they may have been the victim of a crime is encouraged to call the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office of Immigrant Affairs hotline at 914-995-1616.
