My Near End-of-Year Column

I was recently in East Hampton for a hearing, finishing a year-long case. I had some time afterward and ventured into the village. Main Street was adorned with lights and trees for Christmas and despite the unusually warm weather, holiday cheer filled the air. The sidewalks bustled with visitors and year-rounders walking their dogs and doing last-minute shopping, and most of the restaurants and cafes seemed to be at capacity. The windows of the local bookstore, BookHampton, displayed an abundance of exciting new offerings, while the international stores like Prada and Gucci were lit up festively, their exclusive wares displayed like museum treasures. Unfortunately, not everyone was in the holiday spirit. Reports of antisemitic postings in Montauk at the Shadmoor State Park put a damper on things, while the mood has been somber among a large cohort of the working class in the Hamptons due to the threat of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. East Hampton exemplifies what is true about so much of the country: the economy depends upon the labor of these workers. Their ability to lawyer up is diminished by the fact that there are only a few attorneys in the area who specialize in immigration law. Efforts to fund a not-for-profit dedicated to helping undocumented workers is only now getting started. For many of those who cut the lawns, cook and deliver for restaurants, serve as nannies and housekeepers, and perform any number of “low-wage” jobs, the future looks glum and forbidding. This is a hot-button political issue, but our immigration policies are desperately in need of updating, to find a better way to balance everyone’s needs.

Here in Palm Beach, the roads are backed up due to the closure of a major artery that passes Mar-a-Lago, the home base of the incoming President. Last evening at dinner I took our waiter aside — a 29-year-old from Guatemala — and asked his opinion about the current state of immigrant affairs. He has a green card and is being mentored by the owners of the restaurant, who offered him a ten-year apprenticeship not only to learn the restaurant trade but to gain full legal status. He considers himself fortunate because this kind of opportunity is life-changing. He acknowledged that it was difficult for many others to secure a position like his. He represents another aspect of the issue — someone was there to sponsor this young man. Unfortunately, those of us who are in a position to sponsor someone are too few. Weeding out criminals should be a priority, but if a portion of the resources allocated to locate and deport were spent to educate and help secure legal status, it would further the interests of both sides of the issue. As I look ahead to 2025, I intend to donate to help others who need something more than toys: a better route to helping themselves.