Laura Gillen Faces Pushback in First Town Hall

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. — Boos echoed throughout the Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center in Hofstra University last night at the end of a town hall meeting by Representative Laura Gillen, following a series of disturbances.

Laura Gillen, the Democratic Representative of New York’s Fourth Congressional District, went to the University to answer questions from fellow constituents. This is her first term as the district’s representative, overturning the previous representative, Anthony D’Esposito.

Gillen billed herself as a centrist Democrat who worked with Republicans on both sides of the aisle. One of these actions included her support of the Laken Riley Act, a bill named after the late college student murdered by an undocumented immigrant. This bill allows for authorities to detain and deport undocumented immigrants accused, but not convicted of a crime.

“There are people being sent to concentration camps. You paved the way to this,” a woman said, referencing the detainment of deportees currently being held in the Terrorism Confinement Center in El Salvador.

One man yelled, “You should be ashamed of yourself.”  He was promptly escorted out of the room by security, causing several constituents to boo. 

This incident has been one of several incidents occurring in recent town halls, including one held by Marjorie Taylor-Greene earlier this week, which resulted in security tasering a man.

Gillen’s town hall was remarkably controlled, with a moderator selecting prescreened questions that Gillen would answer. In total, the meeting would only last an hour, with no time for the audience to ask questions. The room turned into chaos as some called for Gillen to get primaried.

Amid the boos, Gillen tried to thank the audience for their time, before quickly leaving the room. As she left, one woman shouted, “What a waste of our time!”