Homeless construction worker calls for Stephens to debate Ball
BREWSTER — Amid the cheering and flag-waving at the Brewster Fire Department parade, one bedraggled man wielding a sign did his best to shift gears and politicize the festive atmosphere.

“I’m homeless!! Thanks to Willis!!! Willis debate Ball,” read the sign carried Thursday night by Francis Flandreau, referring to state Assemblyman Willis Stephens, R-Southeast, and his opponent Greg Ball. “Stop Illegal Immigration. I want my job back!!”

Flandreau’s message, which caught the attention of hundreds of parade-goers, was an attempt to highlight his predicament, one that he blames on Brewster’s day laborer population and Stephens’ ineffectiveness in addressing the problem, he said.

“Willis is an accomplice in an illegal act,” said Flandreau, 52. “Greg Ball wants the community to grow and not turn into a Third World country.”

Flandreau said he had never met Ball before the parade, but reads the newspapers and is familiar with his campaign.

Ball has been vocal about illegal immigration and recently posted results of a survey he conducted on the topic. He is challenging the incumbent in a September primary and has tried to get Stephens to debate, even unleashing a person in a chicken suit outside the state assemblyman’s office to pressure him.

Flandreau said he has been homeless for a decade and now lives out of his car. He finds construction work once or twice a week, but faults the undocumented workers and the people that hire them for his lack of employment. Before, Flandreau said he was making $20,000 to $30,000 a year in construction.

“I’m told, ‘I can hire two Mexicans for the price of you,” said Flandreau, who grew up in Carmel and now hangs around the Mobil gas station in Patterson.

About eight to 10 years ago, Flandreau said he went to Stephens’ office to alert him that he was homeless and unemployed because “all the illegal immigrants are coming and stealing the jobs.” Flandreau said he was told he would get a call and never did.

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