RNHA | The RNHA Interviews Joesph Caldera rnha.org

The RNHA Interviews Joesph Caldera

Tell us about your background and district?

I am running in New York’s 11th district which is in Staten Island and South Brooklyn. It is a starkly conservative district within New York City. The seat has been held by a Republican with just two expectations in the past 40 years. I’m born and raised on Staten Island, the South Shore and my family is from South Brooklyn. I attend Brooklyn Law School where I got my law degree and began working in the Brooklyn’s D.A office where I served as a prosecutor for the Special Victims Unit. During my time in the Special Victims Unit, I had the opportunity to help many women and children who had been the victims of crimes. Specifically, working with the children was very rewarding.

What motivated you to run for office?

I have been involved in my community for a long time, Robert. I worked in my local city councilman’s office, and that is really when I got the bug for public service. It was at that point that really saw how many issues we had on Staten Island for people with disabilities. In addition to working for the City Council, I also have three cousins who are autistic. Growing up in Staten Island my whole family lives close together and we all live about 3-4 miles from each other. I watched how much my family struggled to get my cousins the services that they need on Staten Island. Families in Staten Island, often wait several months to years to get a city-appointed attorney in order to get the services they need. It is ridiculous that children with autism have to travel over an hour to Brooklyn or Queens to go to school and get the services they need.

What specific services are you talking about?

First off, these children who do have autism and disabilities with the district need to have teachers and small classrooms with a particular curriculum to help them. The city is underfunded in those specific instances. Additionally, we do not have enough schools that help children with autism. When do not have enough publicly funded schools on Staten Island or in Brooklyn to provide these children with the adequate services that they need. We are specifically talking about Paraeducators, and therapy after school. People with autism and disabilities need early intervention and therapy from a very young age. It is difficult for families to afford those services and that is why I want to increase funding for disabled services.

What do New Yorkers want from Immigration Reform?

In New York city we love the immigration and immigrants that make up our city. There is no city more immigrant-friendly than New York, it’s part of our culture. It is part of our identity. My family immigrated from Italy when my grandfather came to the United States in the 1950s. We are an open-minded people here in New York but that does not mean we should disregard the rule of law. As a former prosecutor, I can speak firsthand to the number of crimes committed by illegal aliens. Now let me be clear I am not saying that everyone who comes here illegally is here to commit crimes. There are many who come here for the right reasons and live law-abiding lives. There are a substantial amount of people who come here illegally and commit crimes without any consequences.

It’s completely unacceptable for anyone in this city to have a crime committed against them by anyone. Can you imagine someone who’s here illegally, who commits a crime against a United States citizen? The illegal immigrant is then given favor and given the privilege by a local district, where they offer them something like an immigration-friendly plea, meaning that they’re not held to the same standard, as every American citizen would be if they committed a crime.

Now they are charged with a crime that is a lesser offense or one that does not even exist on the books. They do this so that federal law and federal authorities do not deport that person. Now within New York City, the government is actively and purposefully circumventing federal law and harboring illegal immigrants who are committing crimes on our streets. These are not victimless crimes we are talking about sex crimes, crimes against children, and crimes of violence.

New Yorkers want reasonable immigration policies, as accepting, as open-minded, warm, and welcoming as we are. We don’t want people taking advantage of us. We don’t want to have to worry about crime being increased on our streets because people are here illegally, and people need to be held accountable for their actions. Americans and New Yorkers, just like anybody else don’t like it when Somebody is held to a different standard than they are, especially someone who is not in this country legally.

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About The Author

Robert Cross Robert Cross is Spaniard and Cuban on his mother’s side. He started his career in public service serving in local ministries that provided education assistance to K-12 students in San Bernardino County, and work rehabilitation for ex-convicts, veterans, disabled individuals and refugees. He has been published in Borgen Project Magazine, Borgen Project Blog, RNHA News. Robert Cross earned a Master’s degree in Public Policy and International Affairs from Liberty University and a Bachelors degree in History from California State University of San Bernardino.