Former Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and Italian-American advocacy groups have criticized Nassau County Legislator Mazi Pilip’s campaign for referring to Suozzi as the “godfather of the border crisis.” The phrase “godfather,” particularly in usage against Italian-Americans, carries a negative stereotype of association with the Mafia, as a result of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather films.

“As Italian Americans and Italian American organizations, we condemn this anti-Italian attack and demand that Legislator Pilip apologize and refrain from issuing any other anti-Italian stereotypes in the future,” a joint statement by Suozzi, Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations, the Italian American Action Committee, the New York State Italian American PAC, and the Order of the Sons of Italy said in a statement.