State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. will be hosting a Bronx Immigration Forum on Sept. 9, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Bronx Community College, 2155 University Avenue in the Gould Memorial Library.

Espada, who held a press conference today to announce the event, said he is holding the forum in response to a wave of bias attacks on immigrants in the Bronx, Staten Island and Long Island. Espada referenced the Sunday shooting, in broad daylight, of a 20-year-old man near St. James Park. There were perhaps dozens of witnesses at the park on Sunday when it happened, but no one has yet to step forward with information about the shooters. he said many of the immigrants may have been immigrants who were scared to come forward with information because they were scared of deportation.

Majority Conference Leader John Sampson is co-hosting the event. He didn’t make it to the press conference, but Espada’s state senate ally, Ruben Diaz Sr., did.