There is nothing more important to me than our safety

I’m a mother of seven, and the rise in crime across our state scares me every day”

My name is Mazi Pilip, and I’m running for Congress because the future of our nation is at stake. We’re facing a border crisis, a migrant crisis, an economic crisis, an inflation crisis, and an antisemitism crisis. The last thing we need is to empower the extreme politicians who brought us this mess in the first place.

So, what will I do differently? In Congress, I’ll stand up to President Joe Biden and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s squad of extremists. My first priority will be securing the border and stopping the flow of illegal immigrants, terrorists, human traffickers, deadly fentanyl, and guns coming into this country. We need to resume building the wall, and increase the number of border control agents.

We need to reverse sanctuary city policies that have allowed hundreds of thousands of unvetted migrants to cross the border and flock to New York City — costing New York taxpayers $12 billion. And we need to end catch-and-release, a policy that allows migrants who are here illegally to live in our communities while they wait to appear in immigration court. Under this policy, many migrants never show up in court and then stay here permanently.

America is the land of opportunity, and that’s why I immigrated here, but I immigrated legally. We are a country of laws, and those laws must be respected.

There is absolutely nothing more important to me than the safety of our communities. I’m a mother of seven, and the rise in crime across our state scares me every day. Hearing the horror stories of brutal attacks, houses ransacked, and even worse, makes me sick to my stomach. In Congress, I’ll stand firmly against the movement to defund the police and partner with law enforcement to keep communities safe. I’ll also work to repeal cashless bail, and legislation that puts criminals first, while increasing funding for first responders. Finally, as we face a rise in antisemitism and anti-Asian hate, I’ll work to expand the punishment for hate crimes, and never back down in my support for Israel.

We also need to make New York more affordable. I won’t just talk about restoring the full tax deduction for state and local taxes — I’ll actually take action, and won’t rest until our families get the tax relief they deserve. I’ll work to end the new regulations and mandates that the Democrats put on our economy that are driving up prices and making the state we love unaffordable. Finally, I’ll fight to stop the out-of-control spending in Washington, cut waste, fraud, and abuse from the budget, and start running our federal budget like we run our budgets at home.

How can you trust that I’ll keep my promises? I have a proven record. As a county legislator, I cut taxes, invested in police to put more officers on the street, and worked with County Executive Bruce Blakeman to keep illegal migrants out of Nassau County. You have my word that I will do everything I can in Congress to protect your wallet, your safety, and your community.

I’m asking that you please vote for me on Special Election Day, Feb. 13.

Mazi Pilip represents Nassau County’s 10th Legislative District.