A Mayor With a Tough Stance on Immigration Is on Both Sides Now

“Mayor Steven M. Lonegan of Bogota once demanded that McDonald’s remove a Spanish-language billboard, and tried to make English the official language of his small New Jersey town. Then he sought to deputize his police force to crack down on illegal immigrants.

But recently, the conservative Mr. Lonegan — who has gained national attention for his views — suffered an attack of the ironies when the police discovered two illegal immigrants working at a home he owns, prompting critics to heap scorn on him, a onetime candidate for governor and House of Representatives.

He now says the two workers were unfairly singled out, and he is calling for an investigation of his own Police Department for racial profiling — claims that the police chief, Frank Gurnari, called “absurd” yesterday.”*

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