Staten Island

Is Mexico Really Sending Its Police To Patrol Staten Island?

Eric Lach | August 30, 2010, 8:36AM

Staten Island, NY (Mexican soldiers, inset)

A breathless report published recently by the American Free Press titled "MEXICAN POLICE TO PATROL NY?" told an unbelievable story. The writer, Jeff Smith, reported that the government of Mexico would soon "begin patrolling the New York City borough of Staten Island to 'safeguard' its nationals there." Smith reported that the move had caused "wide notice and a storm of protests" and had been reported in various outlets, including The New York Times.

But the Mexican consulate, New York City politicians, and various news reports, including the Times, reveal a very different picture: a neighborhood plagued by a wave of assaults against immigrants, and a coalition of politicians, community groups, and civic agencies trying to do something about it. Not a national security story, but a community safety one.

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