City Council Races 2017: Tensions Rise Among Immigrants

WNYC is taking a closer look at some of the most competitive City Council races in partnership with City Limits and Gotham Gazette.

District 38 includes Red Hook and Sunset Park. Incumbent Carlos Menchaca prides himself for having spurred jobs along the waterfront and for fighting luxury residential development. But he's in a tight race with two other high-profile candidates: State Assembly member Felix Ortiz and Sara Gonzalez, who formerly held the City Council seat for that district.

Menchaca has also focused on making information accessible to the district's immigrant community, which has been on edge since the November election. 

"One of the things that Menchaca has been foucsed on is actually adult literacy classes, which helps in a larger regard [with] trying to understand information and what's going on," said Ben Max, executive editor of Gotham Gazette. 

Max spoke to WNYC's Richard Hake about why Menchaca is facing such a competitive re-election race. 

Check out other contested City Council races here!