CASA’s executive director has issued an apology after receiving backlash from residents and elected officials when the organization made a statement on Palestine and Israel.
“Our message was flawed, diminishing of Israeli people, hurtful to many of our Jewish allies, and counter to our goals of advancing peace. For that, I am sorry,” CASA Executive Director Gustavo Torres said in a written statement Thursday. “We immediately took that statement down and removed the social media content.”
“We have apologized to our allies who have been harmed by our words and now do so to all of you. We wholeheartedly regret not reaching out to allies and communities grieving the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas in Israel when it occurred. In the weeks since then, we should have done deeper work to understand the crisis and the ways in which language is understood by people much closer to the situation. We grieve for all innocent lives lost in this latest conflict, no matter their faith or ethnic identity,” said Torres.
Last week, County Councilmember Andrew Friedson wrote a letter in outrage after CASA’s post stating its “resolute and steadfast solidarity with the people of Palestine in their relentless fight for freedom” — CASA’s post has been removed. In the original letter, Torres said CASA stands “shoulder to shoulder with countless Black and brown freedom activists from around the world” and called “for an immediate ceasefire to save all precious life and halt the systematic ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.”
Then, state senators from Montgomery County spoke out to denounce the statement — and to suggest reevaluating financial aid.
“We, the entire Montgomery County Senate Delegation, are deeply disappointed by the recent statements and social media postings by CASA de Maryland and its executive director, Gustavo Torres,” reads the letter shared by Sen. Craig Zucker last week.
The Senate delegation suggested reevaluating how financial aid is provided to the immigrant community.
“We cannot and will not allow taxpayer money to subsidize hate speech,” states the Senate delegation’s letter. “In light of CASA’s recent postings and statements, this might be an appropriate time to reevaluate the state’s mechanism for providing financial aid and support to our immigrant community.”
Del. Gabriel Acevero expressed disgust last week in response to the senators’ letter and called on the county Senate Delegation to retract it.
CASA is an organization that aims to improve quality of life in working-class Black, Latino, Afro-descendent, indigenous and immigrant communities, according to its website.
