WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz

  Andrew Cuomo, Bill de Blasio and Eric Schneiderman, the Great Defenders of the Immigrants: Please, Give Me A Break!

You should now that the top leaders of this State and City have come out, according to their own pronouncements, to defend the immigrants from the abuses that are being committed by Donald Trump.  Among these leaders are Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

These three great leaders are now competing among themselves to show the world which of them loves the immigrants the most.

The problem with all of this, my dear reader, is that the abuses, the oppressions, the discrimination, and the bad treatment against the immigrants have been happening for many, many years before Donald Trump.

These three leaders: Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, are the ones who, right under their noses have either been persecuting the immigrants, or have been allowing the same abuses they blame Donald Trump for causing to the immigrants.

You should know that for many years before Donald Trump, New York State Assemblyman Francisco Moya and New York State Senator JoséPeralta have been fighting with the Governor to establish a $20 million dollar fund to create what is known as the DREAM Act, in order to help immigrant students obtain a college education.

But surprise, surprise!

It is important for you to know that it has been Governor Andrew Cuomo who for many year has been playing with the feelings and sentiments of the DREAM’ers, and behind doors has done everything possible to kill the DREAM Act.

Now our beloved Governor, in a loud voice, is busy bragging about how he has come out against Donald Trump, making believe he is the great defender of the immigrant …. Please, give me a break!

On the other hand, here in the City of New York, we have more than 100,000 immigrant men and women who work in the livery taxi industry.

For years and years, the abuses and persecutions committed against these immigrant men and women who drive livery taxis are longstanding and pervasive.

The Taxi and Limousine Commission, under Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Administration, has oppressed, persecuted and abused these immigrant livery and taxi drivers like no one else in history.

These taxi and livery drivers are being subject to abuse, entrapment, fines that range from $1,000 to $10,000, and license suspensions without even giving them the opportunity to come before a Taxi and Limousine arbitrator to listen to their story.

These immigrant drivers are punished with points on their licenses for traffic infractions bigger that what the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles applies for the same infraction to you and me.

It is important for you to note that the City of New York and the Taxi and Limousine Commission, under Mayor Bill de Blasio and years before Donald Trump, has persecuted, abused and mistreated immigrants without compassion, preventing these immigrants from bringing food to their families’ tables.

Now our Mayor is busy organizing big demonstrations against Donald Trump to defend the immigrants because he is a great defender of the immigrant.  Please, give me a break!

Mr. Mayor, you should first solve the problems of those thousands and thousands of immigrant men and women here in the City of New York who under your Administration, are trying to make a decent living driving in the streets of our city.

Bring down those fines and have more compassion for the livery and taxi drivers, if in fact, you love the immigrant as you say you do.

The third leader, the Honorable and Distinguished New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, another great defender of the immigrant, has also come out against Donald Trump.

It is important for you to know, my dear readers, that many years ago, the State of New York created a Workers compensation fund exclusively to help the livery taxi drivers.

For years and years, drivers have been complaining that this fund has not been properly managed, and that they are not receiving the help they need when they get hurt on the job.

To that effect, on November 15, 2016, I wrote a letter to New York State Eric Schneiderman (please see the attached) asking if the Attorney General would look into these complaints to see if, in fact, the livery and taxi drivers’ workers compensation fund has been improperly run or not.

As of today, the Attorney General has completely ignored my letter, and I have not even received a response to it.

Now, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has brandished his sword as Don Quixote de la Mancha against Donald Trump to defend the immigrant.

But right here, in the State of New York, right under his nose, thousands and thousands of immigrant livery taxi drivers are still waiting for Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to tell them if there is anything wrong with their workers compensation fund.

Mr. Attorney General Schneiderman, please solve the problems of the immigrant livery and taxi drivers’ workers compensation fund right here if you really love the immigrant and want to defend the immigrant, because otherwise, I am going to say: Please give me a break.

I am Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.