New York Congressman Mike Lawler, a rising star in the state GOP, is facing backlash after questioning the citizenship status of a Westchester County legislator at a public meeting.
The comment came during a larger discussion Tuesday about immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
The vice chair of the board, Democrat Jose Alvarado, asked Lawler, “Somebody that looks like me is approached by ICE. What would your immediate expectation be for me to do? What should I carry on me to demonstrate that this immigrant is the vice chairman of this board?”
Lawler replied, “Like every other person that is engaged by law enforcement, if you are asked for information, cooperate. I wouldn't expect you as a — I don't know. I assume you're a citizen. Maybe you're not.”
Lawler’s response was met with laughter in the meeting room. Alvarado noted he is a citizen.
Democrats wasted little time in going after Lawler, a potential Republican candidate for governor next year.
In a social media post, Rep. Nydia Velazquez wrote, “Questioning a Latino lawmaker’s citizenship? That’s not just ignorance — it’s straight-up xenophobia.”
Alvarado, who has served on the board off-and-on for the past two decades, moved from Honduras to Yonkers in 1982, according to his biography on the board website.
Asked about Lawler’s comments, Alvarado told Spectrum News, “I just think that him himself, along with most of his colleagues, they're just biased, and in their book, people like me shouldn't be in a position of power or dare ask them a direct question.”
Lawler told Spectrum News he has no intention to apologize, arguing he did nothing wrong. He reiterated that everyone should cooperate with law enforcement.
He also noted that his wife is an immigrant. She is from Moldova in Eastern Europe.
“I've been through this process with her, so I certainly, you know, respect all people and immigrants, and was in no way questioning whether or not he was a citizen,” Lawler said.
His office reacted more bluntly, saying Democrats are losing the public argument over border security and are turning to “absurd character assassination.”
On Thursday, Lawler’s office also released a public letter of support from a group of Latino community leaders, which read in part, “Lawler has been a friend of the Latino community in the Hudson Valley for years and these personal attacks against him are wrong.”
Alvarado said his question spoke to larger concerns he is hearing from constituents about racial profiling.
“They're not going to be questioning the nationality of a Caucasian person in 42nd Street, Manhattan,” he said. “They're going to question me.”