VTMBH Article: Body
New York residents will need to present state-issued identification to rent an apartment, according landlords affected by this new policy, to the New York Police Department.
This measure is opposed by police officers like Anthony Miranda, who said that it deceives the community and controls the lives of immigrants, even though the terrorists who attacked on September 11th were not undocumented, they had visas and could go anywhere.
Arguing that the Big Apple's buildings are terrorist targets, New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Counter-Terrorism Frank Libutti, also announced a 24-hour "anti-terrorist hot line," 1-888-NYC-SAFE, available to New York residents and landlords to report any possible terrorist activity.
250 landlords and real estate executives were given a 38-page handbook written by police and FBI counter-terrorist experts. The book is comprised of recommendations and preventive measures to safeguard public and private infrastructures and people's security. These include close scrutiny of renters' documents, as well as watching for tenants who pay only in cash, live with little furniture and have no telephone service.
This measure is a threat against immigrants. Now undocumented people will find themselves unable to rent an apartment, for the fear of being persecuted by the police, said Miranda, president of the Latino Officers Association.
The anti-terrorist measures also include the possibility of state or city legislation that would require tenants to undergo criminal background checks and to report the identities of persons living in their apartments.
Real estate entrepreneurs solicited these measures after the FBI sent out a warning about Al-Qaeda groups targeting apartment buildings, said Kelly. Joe Strasburg, president of the Association of Rent Stabilization, with 25,000 proprietors who are also members, was in attendance at the meeting yesterday.
The proposal was also criticized by Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. "The war against terror has been used by the federal government as a vehicle to expand the law enforcement of federal agencies in areas well beyond terrorism," she said. "They have long been trying to extend the laws that govern immigrants and were unable to do so. Now, they are using terrorism as a justification to oppress immigrants," said Miranda. "If they want to persecute and accuse people they should not concern themselves with Hispanics and African-Americans, because we came to this country to work for a better future," concluded Miranda.
This measure is opposed by police officers like Anthony Miranda, who said that it deceives the community and controls the lives of immigrants, even though the terrorists who attacked on September 11th were not undocumented, they had visas and could go anywhere.
Arguing that the Big Apple's buildings are terrorist targets, New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Counter-Terrorism Frank Libutti, also announced a 24-hour "anti-terrorist hot line," 1-888-NYC-SAFE, available to New York residents and landlords to report any possible terrorist activity.
250 landlords and real estate executives were given a 38-page handbook written by police and FBI counter-terrorist experts. The book is comprised of recommendations and preventive measures to safeguard public and private infrastructures and people's security. These include close scrutiny of renters' documents, as well as watching for tenants who pay only in cash, live with little furniture and have no telephone service.
This measure is a threat against immigrants. Now undocumented people will find themselves unable to rent an apartment, for the fear of being persecuted by the police, said Miranda, president of the Latino Officers Association.
The anti-terrorist measures also include the possibility of state or city legislation that would require tenants to undergo criminal background checks and to report the identities of persons living in their apartments.
Real estate entrepreneurs solicited these measures after the FBI sent out a warning about Al-Qaeda groups targeting apartment buildings, said Kelly. Joe Strasburg, president of the Association of Rent Stabilization, with 25,000 proprietors who are also members, was in attendance at the meeting yesterday.
The proposal was also criticized by Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. "The war against terror has been used by the federal government as a vehicle to expand the law enforcement of federal agencies in areas well beyond terrorism," she said. "They have long been trying to extend the laws that govern immigrants and were unable to do so. Now, they are using terrorism as a justification to oppress immigrants," said Miranda. "If they want to persecute and accuse people they should not concern themselves with Hispanics and African-Americans, because we came to this country to work for a better future," concluded Miranda.