EAST HAVEN, Connecticut (Reuters) – Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. got what he asked for.
Two days after Maturo sparked a national firestorm for his “I might have tacos” quip when several of his town’s police officers were charged by federal authorities with harassing Latinos, immigration advocates sent 500 tacos to his office for lunch on Thursday.
Maturo, though, ducked out the backdoor shortly before the delivery arrived. The group, Reform Immigration America, left him a single symbolic taco and donated the rest to a soup kitchen.
In a statement issued later, Maturo said he would work on the challenges facing his town.
“The abundance of tacos that we received today underscores the importance of the issues currently facing the town of East Haven and highlights the need for the town to continue the process of healing and reform that I initiated immediately upon taking office,” Maturo said.
An FBI investigation triggered by complaints from the Latino community resulted in the arrests on Tuesday of four East Haven police officers on charges of racial profiling, excessive force and conspiracy against Latinos.
When a reporter asked Maturo how he might repair relations with Latinos, he replied, “I might have tacos when I go home.”