OLA in the News

Hannah Liu, 26, of Washington, holds up a sign in support of birthright citizenship outside of the U.S. Supreme Court last year. Credit: AP/Jacquelyn Martin Immigrant advocates across Long Island celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court decision Tuesday to uphold birthright citizenship as a victory not only for immigrant families but for American democracy. The Trump administration, through executive order in January last year, sought to repeal birthright citizenship to children bor

Organización Latino Americana (OLA) of Eastern Long Island will celebrate 24 years of service to the East End community at its annual Sabor 2026 cocktail fundraiser on Thursday, July 16, from 5 to 8 p.m. at The Church in Sag Harbor. The event will bring together community leaders, advocates, artists, business owners and supporters to raise funds for OLA’s mission of building a safer, healthier and more equitable East End for Latinos and all residents. This year’s event will b

Congressman Nick LaLota speaks at a press conference at Gabreski Airport last year. Dana Shaw U.S. Representative Nick LaLota has threatened to halt future federal funding for vital infrastructure and public safety projects in jurisdictions that have enacted laws said to stymie federal enforcement actions, with the congressman taking particular aim at East Hampton Town and East Hampton Village. Officials in the town and village responded by saying that they do not plan to bac

Maureen’s Haven Homeless Outreach will host its third annual Summer Benefit Cocktail Party on Saturday, July 11, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Southampton Inn, bringing together supporters, volunteers and community leaders to raise funds for programs serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness across the East End. The evening will feature cocktails, chef-inspired hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction and live entertainment by acclaimed singer-songwriter and producer Jo

From left, Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville), East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez and East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larsen. Credit: Newsday / Howard Schnapp (LaLota); Michael A. Rupolo Sr. (Burke-Gonzalez, Larsen) East Hampton town and village leaders, along with Latino advocates, have condemned Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) for threatening to block federal earmarks to governments that restrict police cooperation with federal immigration authorities. In a le

Representative Nick LaLota joined state, county and local officials, including East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, left, at a press conference in Montauk in February 2025 about emergency dredging of the Montauk Inlet. Durell Godfrey It appears Republican Representative Nick LaLota is cutting off East Hampton Town and Village from receiving federal dollars for community project funding requests. These requests, also known as "earmarks," bear no relation to our

A speaker at a local graduation ceremony highlights the immigration struggle An especially poignant happening in Suffolk County amid the Trump administration’s campaign against immigrants came last month when honors student Sara Lopez Garcia returned — virtually — for graduation ceremonies at Suffolk County Community College, and gave a video presentation. A year earlier, agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency raided her home in Mastic and arrested her. As B

Guild Hall and OLA of Eastern Long Island present a dynamic, original multi-lingual performance led by 2026 Guild Hall Community Artists-in-Residence Margarita Espada and Minerva Perez. Building on the spirit of Fuenteovejuna: East End(2025), this performance program brings community voices to the stage through a series of original short works. Blending language, music, movement, and storytelling, the evening reflects contemporary issues and lived experiences from across the

White House border czar Tom Homan during a television interview Thursday. Credit: AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson The Department of Homeland Security plans to flood New York City with more ICE agents since Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed legislation that will stymie the department’s efforts, the White House border czar said Monday. Hochul told Newsday that the move would be "wildly disruptive" to the nation's economic capital and that "Americans have had enough with the overrea

Acclaimed comedian Pedro Gonzalez performs separate English and Spanish sets in a collaboration with OLA Colombian-born comedian Pedro Gonzalez will perform two stand-up sets at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center (WHBPAC) this Saturday. The first show at 5 p.m. will be delivered in English, followed by a second set at 8 p.m. performed totally in Spanish. This Saturday, comedian Pedro Gonzalez will perform two consecutive stand-up sets at the Westhampton Beach Perfor

The East Hampton Town Board got a standing ovation after a public hearing on May 7. Jack Motz East Hampton Town officials have passed a law, drafted by OLA of Eastern Long Island, that blocks partnerships with federal immigration agencies and outlines reporting procedures in the event of an enforcement action. This move, undertaken at a work session on Tuesday, made East Hampton Town the second jurisdiction on the East End to pass the draft law, which is circulating the 10 to

East Hampton Town Hall last month. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr. East Hampton Town on Tuesday adopted legislation barring its police from cooperating with federal authorities on civil immigration enforcement. The town board voted unanimously to approve the bill during its meeting on Tuesday. The new law prohibits town police from assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in civil immigration enforcement. The measure allows town police to cooperate in criminal cases o

OLA Executive Director Minerva Perez fought back tears as East Hampton Village became the first municipality to pass a law aimed at boosting accountability in the event of federal immigration action. Jack Motz East Hampton Village has become the first municipality on the East End to enact a law, drafted by OLA of Eastern Long Island, that is meant to boost accountability in the event of federal immigration action. What the blueprint drafted by OLA aims to do, primarily, is e

Suzanne Leaver of Amagansett was among 200 people to attend an ICE protest in Riverhead on Jan. 31. Credit: Randee Daddona Riverhead Town's Anti-Bias Task Force is reviewing what role it should play in the community after its chairman resigned after claiming the panel was discouraged from speaking out about hot-button issues including immigration enforcement. Mark “MK” McLaughlin resigned as the task force's chairman in February. He has since called for Councilwoman Denise Me

Masked agent wearing a vest marked "POLICE ERO" during an action on Route 58 in Riverhead Tuesday, Dec. 29. RiverheadLOCAL/Courtesy photo Local residents at Tuesday’s Town Board meeting continued to push for Riverhead to act on legislation proposed by the East End Latino advocacy group OLA to protect public safety during federal immigration enforcement activity. Several speakers took the podium to urge local officials to adopt or at least publicly consider the proposed local

East Hampton Village Hall, seen here in a 2016 photo. Credit: Gordon M. Grant East Hampton Village on Wednesday became the first government on the East End to ban its police department from cooperating with federal agencies on civil immigration enforcement. The law, approved by the village board in a 5-0 vote, prohibits village police from entering into Section 287(g) agreements with the Department of Homeland Security. Those agreements allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enfo

East Hampton Town Hall. The proposal also would require town and village police departments to notify newly created task forces about ICE activities if their officers were called to respond to a raid. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr. East Hampton town and village are advancing legislation to bar police from cooperating with federal agencies on civil immigration enforcement — becoming the first East End municipalities to back the proposal. The proposal would also require police

Organización Latino Americana of Eastern Long Island will host its annual Pachanga celebration on Saturday, May 2, from 7 to 10 p.m. at Bay Street Theater and the Sag Harbor Center for the Arts. This year’s event, themed “One Community / Una Comunidad,” invites residents from across the East End to celebrate Latin culture through music, dance and community connection. The evening will feature live music by La Herencia, known for its “Golden Age of Salsa” sound and high-energy

Comedian Pedro Gonzalez performs at WHPBAC on Saturday, May 30, with a show in English and another in Spanish. Courtesy WHBPAC Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center Collaboration with Organización Latino Americana of Eastern Long Island The Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center (WHBPAC), in partnership with OLA (Organización Latino Americana) of Eastern Long Island, will co-present an evening of comedy featuring acclaimed Latin comedian Pedro Gonzalez on Saturday, May 3

Organizacíon Latino Americana (OLA) of Eastern Long Island recently proposed a law that seeks accountability and transparency regarding federal immigration action. It was first introduced for consideration by OLA and director Minerva Perez in February to East End municipalities that have their own police departments. Written so that towns and villages can adapt it to suit their needs, the proposed law was drafted by former State Assemblyman (and current OLA board member) Fre