Schenectady

Fatima Esat no longer takes as many of the long, relaxing walks that she enjoys.

"I don't do it very often these days out of fear," said the Woodlawn resident, a Muslim woman who wears a hijab.

These days, she said she feels more stress going out to places like the supermarket for fear of getting funny looks. She is anxious about what she sees as an increase in hate crimes.

Esat is among a small group of people, some of whom have attended recent City Council meetings, trying to convince city leaders to declare Schenectady a sanctuary city. Such communities try to shield undocumented immigrants from deportation.

The council seems unlikely to take up the matter.

Council President Leesa Perazzo said she favors discussing the issue, unlike four of her seven colleagues.

Perazzo could use her powers as council president to get the matter on the legislative agenda but she said the effort makes little sense if it has no support.

"To me, it's not about simply naming Schenectady a sanctuary city, there are a whole bunch of things and different options we could talk about," Perazzo said. "To me, it's about recognizing that our citizens are concerned for our immigrant population here in the city and what can we do to make them feel safe, feel welcome, and just as much a part of the city as any other resident."

She pledged to continue to "encourage the conversation" among her peers and is working with community groups.

Councilman Vince Riggi said he is open to talking about sanctuary cities but has a "hard time supporting anything that's prefaced with 'illegal'" — in this case, "illegal immigrants."

"Nobody has ever complained to me about this before," Riggi said. He has heard complaints ranging from potholes to snow plowing to sidewalks. No one, he said, has mentioned police harassing immigrants.

Councilwoman Marion Porterfield said she supports talking about the issue.

Council members John Mootoveren, Karen Zalewski-Wildzunas did not return calls seeking comment.

Mayor Gary McCarthy said "sanctuary cities solve nothing." What is needed, he said, is comprehensive immigration reform through legislation like the measure he has been advocating through his involvement with the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Albany and Bethlehem have declared themselves sanctuary communities.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has threatened to pull funding from sanctuary cities for broadly violating federal law and attempting to shield illegal immigrants from arrest or deportation.

"The idea of sanctuary cities is that they draw a hard line that city resources do not go toward federal enforcement," said Joseph Paparone with the Labor-Religion Coalition of New York.

Jamaica Miles, an activist who lives in Schenectady, said she and other city residents want to ensure city police are not cooperating with federal agencies to arrest or detain immigrants. She said they want the city to disavow President Donald Trump's comments equating immigrants, refugees and Muslims to terrorists.

Miles said the group is circulating petitions in houses of worships to build support and working with the Clergy Against Hate and an immigrant advocacy group.

"The strategy is to continue to educate the community at large, grow our base of supporters, and ensure those marginalized groups who are already living in fear are able recognize there are people who are speaking out on their behalf but also welcoming them to a safe place," Miles said.

Esat, who is from Zimbabwe in Africa, has lived in Schenectady for 10 years.

"We are definitely under attack and feel like we're under siege," she said. "Whether or not they feel it or not is not the point, they should take the time to listen to us and hear our stories."