West New York school board member responds to ICE allegations on flyer
West New York school board member Jonathan Castaneda has responded to an anonymous flyer around town alleging he is working directly with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, decrying the claims as a smear campaign.
“It is ridiculous,” Castaneda said. “I don’t work for ICE, nor do I condone their policies.” As the son of a Cuban father and a Colombian mother, he added that his home had an “ever present and constant fear” that his mother was going to be deported one day.
“I take my role on this board very seriously,” Castaneda said. “Our community is tired of the political mongering and antics that distract from the real problems we are having in our community. An anonymous flyer like that was designed to distract and smear.”
The flyers first appeared in town around the week of Sept. 7, proclaiming that “School Board Member Jonathan Castaneda is working with ICE.”
It also references Castaneda’s new job as chief of staff at the Hudson County Correctional Facility. The jail has come under fire in recent months for housing undocumented detainees for ICE.
Though the county voted to renew its contract with ICE in July, local freeholders have changed course, after heavy criticism from local activists and concerned residents, and were planning on a vote to end the contract by 2020 at an upcoming meeting. Public outcry has risen in recent months, after numerous reports of immigrant detainees sustaining abuse at the county facility.
It also comes after President Trump initiated a “zero tolerance” immigration policy this year, separating children from their parents and placing them into detention facilities.
Castaneda is up for reelection on the board in November.
West New York swears in five new police recruits
Mayor Felix Roque, and the Board of Commissioners along with police officials swore in five new West New York police recruits during a ceremony at Town Hall on Thursday, Aug. 30.
The hiring of these new officers is part of the town’s commitment to provide excellent emergency services and maintain a safe community for the residents of West New York, the mayor said.
“Keeping our citizens safe is our number one priority,” said Mayor Roque. “By working together with the West New York Police Department, we have been able to grow our force and become one of the best police departments in the state.”
Upon these recruits completing a rigorous 23 weeks of training at the Passaic County Police Academy, the West New York Police Department will reach 119 personnel.
The new recruits, all West New York residents, are Bridget Albuja, Edwin Cabrera, Andrew Ramos, Adrian Solares, and Xiomara Salinas.
County contract with ICE to be terminated – eventually
Although the details have to be worked out, an agreement between the Hudson County Board of Freeholders and religious leaders who are suing them should lead to the termination of the county contract to house immigration detainees at the county jail and end the lawsuit challenging the validity of the contract. The approximately 800 detainees are there while waiting hearings on alleged immigration issues. There are also approximately 400 criminals in the jail.
Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise announced on Friday that the county would initiate a “Path to Exit” from its contract to hold detainees for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE).
The detainees are awaiting hearings on alleged violations of federal immigration laws.
Religious leaders from Jersey City and elsewhere filed suit against the county in Superior Court in late August, claiming the county violated the state’s Open Public Meetings Act when the freeholders voted in July to approve the 10-year contract.
The freeholders had originally announced they would delay the vote, then suddenly reversed themselves and put the measure up for a vote without allowing members of the public and immigrant advocates time to comment. Many activists demanded that the county use an opt-out clause to void the contract.
The “Path to Exit” would have the freeholders void the 10-year then vote on a new contract that would phase out the detainee program over a two-year period, with the goal of having no detainees housed in the jail by the end of 2020.
The jail was built to house about 2,000 criminal inmates. Bail reform and other programs have caused the criminal jail population to fall to about 400. The contract with ICE, at $120 per day per detainee, had partly been used to offset the reduction of prisoners at the jail because the facility remains fully staffed. The deal was expected to provide an estimated $35 million a year to the county.
Correctional officers unions and others have raised concerns about doing away with the ICE contract because it would likely lead to significant layoffs.
To compensate for the loss of the detainee population, the county will seek to make agreements with other entities, such as the New Jersey Department of Corrections to house state prisoners in Hudson County instead of immigrants. By seeking agreements to house other prisoners, the county might be able to maintain the current work force.
Freeholder Bill O’Dea warned the county that it may have to reduce staff in the future anyway, because there is a trend away from incarceration and towards providing other means of detaining prisoners such as house arrest and electronic monitoring.
The freeholders anticipate voting on a resolution at their Sept. 13 meeting that would prohibit ICE detainees to be housed at the jail beyond 2020 “without freeholder consent.”
The plan will also direct additional funds from the contract to be spent on services for ICE detainees during this transition period. Presently, free Legal Services are provided to all detainees for their civil detention cases.
The amount, and into what areas those dollars will go, will be worked out in future meetings with the administration, members of the freeholder board and advocates for the detainees. A survey of detainees conducted by advocates may be authorized as part of the plan.
“Just a month ago, I did not see a path that would allow us to move forward on a path to exit,” said County Executive DeGise. “I’m pleased that after what I have heard from state and federal leaders, I believe we have a consensus on how Hudson County can exit the contract in a responsible manner.”
Freeholder Board Chairman Anthony Vainieri, who attended all of the discussions with County staff and the advocates, welcomed the Path to Exit plan.
“Over the last month the county executive, my fellow freeholders, state and federal leaders and local advocates for detainees have worked constructively to make this exit plan possible, and I am proud of the work that has been done to arrive at this point,” said Vainieri. “I will urge my colleagues to support this plan because it represents a humane, reasonable approach.”
One of the most prominent elected officials critical of the county’s contract with ICE, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, welcomed the announcement from the county executive today.
“With this action, the county executive and the freeholders have begun the work of dealing with this issue in keeping with our values, while dealing with the difficult realities of governing at the local level, and I applaud that,” said Mayor Bhalla.
Radio Jarocho and Zenen Zeferino to close ‘Summer Concerts on the Hudson’
“Summer Concerts on The Hudson,” the free concert series from the Hudson River Performing Arts Center, presents Radio Jarocho and Zenen Zeferino, on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. at Lincoln Harbor Park, located just north of the Chart House restaurant directly on the west bank of the Hudson River in Weehawken, New Jersey. This is a makeup date from a postponement earlier this summer.
Radio Jarocho has been mixing the rowdy, upbeat, and at times poignant music of the countryside of Veracruz, Mexico, with the sounds of New York’s urban life for over ten years. Having recently joined forces with Son Jarocho legend Zenen Zeferino, the band delivers performances that are passionate, energetic, and authentic. Radio Jarocho and Zenen Zeferino have played concerts at festivals and venues on the East coast, including the Kennedy Center, Brooklyn Bowl, Joe’s Pub, La Casita at Lincoln Center, Le Poisson Rouge, Celebrate Mexico Now! and Celebrate Brooklyn. They recently released “Rios de Norte y Sur,” their first studio production together. With this album, Radio Jarocho and Zenen Zeferino celebrate the music that unites Veracruz and New York, Mexico and the United States. It offers original songs and new arrangements for old Jarocho tunes, creating a modern take on a traditional genre by fusing it with sounds that have become part of New York City’s musical fabric — flamenco, cumbia, rock, baroque, and jazz.
Free parking is available and public transportation, including NJ Transit bus No. 158 from the Port Authority and Light Rail to Lincoln Harbor will bring concertgoers to Lincoln Harbor.
Hudson Theatre Works presents ‘Seeger – A Multimedia Show’ in Weehawken
Hudson Theatre Works opens its 2018-2019 season on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. with a benefit performance of “Seeger – A Multimedia Show with the Music of Pete Seeger,” written and performed by Randy Noojin, at the company’s new space at 80 Hauxhurst St., in Weehawken.
“Seeger” is a critically-acclaimed multimedia solo show about American folksinger Pete Seeger. Spend an evening with “Pete” as he plays a benefit concert advocating the end of the U.S.-Cuban trade embargo, where he uses a dozen of his signature songs, including “If I Had a Hammer,” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?,” “Turn! Turn! Turn!,” We Shall Overcome,” and “Guantanamera” to tell the story of his awakening as an activist, and his struggles with the blacklist during the McCarthy-era.
Randy Noojin onstage resurrects Pete Seeger as a folk singer, performs around a dozen Seeger classics, and performs a script that perfectly captures the spirit, personality, and passions of Pete Seeger.
“Noojin disappears into Seeger’s persona and whisks us back and forward in time through the American 20th Century. Anybody who is a Seeger fan should make a bee-line for where this song-fest is humming.” (CurtainUp.com)
“Should not be missed by anyone who loves Seeger or good music or our right and duty as Americans to stand up for justice.” (TheatreLife.com)
Tickets are $50 with $40 as a tax deductible donation. This donation helps Hudson Theatre Works continue its affordable ticket initiative so that more people can enjoy live theatre.
Tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets.com. For more information, please visit www.Seegershow.com.
Up next, opening on Oct. 11 is “Uncle Vanya” in a new adaptation by Michael Puzzo, directed by Frank Licato with Kevin Cristaldi, Vincent Sagona, Joanne Hoersch, Mike Folie and Gregory Erbach.
HCIA announces fall Shredding Days
Hudson County residents will be able to properly and safely get rid of personal documents when the Hudson County Improvement Authority hosts its Shredding Days this fall in North Bergen, Harrison, Bayonne, Union City, Jersey City and Secaucus. The HCIA is hosting six free shredding events this fall, starting on Sept. 8 in North Bergen and continuing to Oct. 13 in Secaucus. All events are free and open to all Hudson County residents.
“This is a great opportunity for area residents to have their confidential or sensitive documents shredded at free, on-site mobile paper shredding events,” said HCIA Chief Executive Officer Norman Guerra. “Properly protecting your information and credit is most important in this day and age.”
Federal Trade Commission statistics have shown approximately 15 million Americans have their identities used fraudulently every year.
“Identity theft is a serious problem and it affects people all over the country, including right here in Hudson County,” said County Executive Tom DeGise. “All of our residents are urged to participate in these events to safeguard against it happening to them.”
All Shredding Day events are from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In Bayonne, Shredding Day is Saturday, Sept. 22 at Stephen R. Gregg Park Parking Lot. Those attending should use the Parkview Drive and Kennedy Boulevard entrance.
Union City’s Shredding Day is Saturday, Sept. 29 at Troy Towers, 380 Mountain Road.
Jersey City’s Shredding Day is Saturday, Oct. 6 at the parking lot near the running track in Lincoln Park.
Secaucus’ Shredding Day is Saturday, Oct. 13 at Secaucus High School’s parking lot.
