New York, NY- Last week, Mayor Eric Adams announced the appointment of Erick Salgado to the position of Assistant Commissioner of Outreach at the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA). Considering Salgado’s prejudicial history of anti-LGBTQ+ views, it is unequivocally inappropriate for him to lead immigrant services that are grounded in freedom and inclusion for New York City.
Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition:
“As New Yorkers, we often look to City leadership to stand up for us when no one else will. During the Trump era, we found moral clarity and a vision for justice in our local representatives, entrusting our leaders to stand up for immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, and those who live at the intersections of many realities. In a moment when states like Arkansas and Florida are rolling back protections for LGBTQ+ communities, our leadership in New York City must stand firmly to defend all 8.5 million New Yorkers, not in spite of their diverse identities, but because of them. As LGBTQ+ immigrants face some of the greatest barriers to accessing basic services from our city, our leadership at MOIA must reflect a commitment to unequivocally fight for all immigrants, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity. While we believe people can and should change, Erick Salgado has done nothing to prove that he has ‘evolved.’ All we have as evidence from him is empty rhetoric—and that is not enough when real people and real lives are on the line.”
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