State lawmakers visit ICE detainees at Nassau jail
State Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages and Senator Julia Salazar visited ICE detainees at the jail in East Meadow.
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State Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages visited ICE detainees at the Nassau County Correctional Center in East Meadow on Wednesday.
“It was heartbreaking, because I know that one day in those cells it’s going to be probably my neighbor,” she said.
Solages made the visit alongside Sen. Julia Salazar, who described meeting a man from Huntington who she said had been in the U.S. for more than 20 years, has a family and is a small business owner.
Sen. Salazar said it’s a “disservice” to everyone when someone like him, who hasn’t committed a crime, is behind bars. The elected officials said there are currently 14 ICE detainees in the jail, all of them men.
The lawmakers said they initially were denied access to the jail. County Executive Bruce Blakeman said that they were “delayed” access because they hadn’t given the heads up when they’d be coming.
In a media briefing following the Democratic lawmakers’ jail visit, Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman said that he does think some migrants should be allowed to stay in this country, if they’ve been gainfully employed and been here for a long time.
“I think that the folks in Washington need to get together and figure out a plan to make sure that we have the workers that we need for our economy to continue to grow and also at the same time have a common sense and compassionate approach to people who have been here for a long time," he said.
