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Friday, August 31, 2018

Son of immigrants accused of stirring up hate against immigrants

Cranston Mayor Fung called out for ‘Trumpian, divisive, racist, fear-based campaigning’

Members of the Cranston Action Network (CAN) and allied groups rallied outside Cranston City Hall ahead of a Cranston City Council meeting to protest Cranston Mayor Allan Fung‘s “Trumpian divisive, racist, fear-based campaigning, nor with divisive, racist, fear based governing.”

In all, just over 50 people attended the two hour protest. The protest continued inside the City Council chambers, but Mayor Fung was not in attendance.

City Councilmember Steve Stycos (Democrat, Ward 1) attended the rally, but other members of the City Council avoided it. Stycos is now running for a citywide council seat. Also attending was Gail Harvey, who is also running for citywide council seat Lammis Vargas, candidate for Cranston City Council Ward 1, and Jeff Gale candidate for Cranston City Council Ward 1, all Democrats.

Fung, who is running as a Republican for Governor of Rhode Island, told the Providence Journal that, “Unfortunately, under Governor [GinaRaimondo, Rhode Island had the highest murder rate in the region in 2016… When I’m Governor, we will not be protecting criminals who are in this country illegally, period. We will not be a sanctuary state, and I will fight against sanctuary cities like Providence.”

Fung also claimed to have signed an agreement with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agreeing to turn over undocumented immigrants to federal law enforcement, “when a criminal in custody is in this country illegally.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: Fung's parents came to the United States in 1969 "in search of a better life," as Fung said in the obituary for his father Kwong-Wen Fung, who died last February at age 89. Would Fung be running for Governor today if Trump's anti-immigrant policies had been in effect in 1969? I think that's a fair question for Fung to answer.  - Will Collette


In response, the Cranston Action Network wrote:

“We, at Cranston Action Network (CAN), strongly condemn the actions of Mayor Allan Fung in aligning with the Trump administration, which has cruelly separated families, placed children in cages, and unnecessarily traumatized immigrants, even those seeking asylum from violence in their home countries. Mayor Fung’s willingness to cooperate with a Federal government responsible for such atrocities in no way reflects the compassionate, inclusive values of our community. We stand in solidarity to urge our city council, statewide leaders, and statewide voters to take every measure possible to oppose this stance. Mayor Fung does not reflect the values of our community. These measures foster distrust towards our valiant and highly respected police force and make our community less safe.”
  • Let’s show that we stand with our immigrant neighbors.
  • Let’s stand as an inclusive and welcoming community.
  • Let’s allow the police to do their jobs fighting crime – not taking on ICE’s responsibilities.
  • Let’s let community members feel safe in reporting crimes, and not fear being reported to ICE if they are victims of a crime.
  • Let’s protect our immigrant women neighbors, in particular, if they need to report crimes of domestic violence.
  • Let’s keep ICE out of healthcare institutions and keep ICE out of our schools.