A comment made during a heated public meeting in Orangetown is drawing criticism after it was caught on camera and shared widely.

The remark was made Sunday night during a town hall meeting, where Supervisor Teresa Kenny was heard making a comment about the immigration status of a man being escorted out.

Officials say the man was removed for interrupting the meeting and later confirmed he is a Navy veteran.

In a statement, Kenny described the comment as "an obvious off‑the‑cuff joke made after roughly 45 minutes of heated exchanges."

She also said she regrets making the remark.

The Orangetown Democratic Committee responded with a statement criticizing the comment, saying, "In today's America, that is not a joke. It is a threat."