Residents of an Alabama city accused councilmembers of “gaslighting” amid concerns over an influx of Haitian migrants.
Earlier in September, a councilmember and two state Reps. signed a letter requesting federal support which could resettle approximately 1,000 Haitian migrants in Baldwin and Mobile Counties.
Scores of residents gathered at a Fairhope City Council meeting on Monday, Sept. 23 seeking answers to the letter which comes amid nationwide concerns over migrant influxes in recent weeks. Many accused the council of withdrawing vital information, while others shared heartbreaking stories where relatives lost their lives.
Councilman Corey Martin, a signatory to the aforementioned letter, faced the brunt of the criticism. Mayor Sherry Sullivan was forced to defend her colleague for signing “what he thought was a simple petition to support the women and children impacted by the Ukrainian War.”
Mayor Sullivan reassured the crowd that there were no official resettlement plans, despite the “rumors” spread among concerned citizens prior to the meeting. Many, however, remained skeptical, calling for the city to take precautions while several speakers expressed frustration and emphasized the need to protect the town’s safety and stability.
One resident, Rebecca Watson, said she had previously been involved in a crash with an illegal immigrant in Baldwin County. She described Martin as “gaslighting” amid his claims of goodwill in a clip which was shared widely on social media.
She highlighted a part of the letter that stated; “We continually hear from our constituents that they believe in and support refugee resettlement. From greeting refugee families at the airport to assisting with English language classes or navigating bus lines, our communities stand for welcome.”
Watson told Martin; “I don’t remember you asking anybody that’s here how they felt about that, and you signed a letter on behalf of your position representing our city, and that is a huge problem for me. If you’re going to sign a letter like that and you represent our city, then you need to ask the constituents how they feel about it.”
Many agreed with Watson’s remarks on X.
Several users also agreed that Fairhope residents were being gaslighted.
