{"id":2047100,"date":"2023-09-27T19:37:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-27T23:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/staten-island-illegal-immigration-debate-gets-heated-as-group-accuses-protestors-of-attempting-insurrection\/"},"modified":"2023-09-27T19:41:52","modified_gmt":"2023-09-27T23:41:52","slug":"staten-island-illegal-immigration-debate-gets-heated-as-group-accuses-protestors-of-attempting-insurrection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/staten-island-illegal-immigration-debate-gets-heated-as-group-accuses-protestors-of-attempting-insurrection\/","title":{"rendered":"Staten Island immigration debate intensifies as group accuses protestors of &#8216;insurrection&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fstaten-island-illegal-immigration-debate-gets-heated-as-group-accuses-protestors-of-attempting-insurrection%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2047100&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>A Call\u2062 for Accountability: Elected Officials Urged to Address Influx of Illegal\u2064 Immigrants in \u200bStaten\u200b Island<\/h2>\n<p>A statement released by a New York City immigration center is calling on elected officials\u200b speaking out\u200b against the influx of illegal immigrants into residential Staten Island neighborhoods to be \u201cheld accountable\u201d\u2014and comparing \u200ctheir words \u2062to those trying to \u201cexecute an \u200cinsurrection in DC.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>La Colmena, a \u2062<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/staten-island-illegal-immigration-debate-gets-heated-as-group-accuses-protestors-of-attempting-insurrection\/\" title=\"Staten Island immigration debate intensifies as group accuses protestors of 'insurrection'\">nonprofit community-based organization working<\/a> with \u201cday laborers, domestic workers, and other low-wage immigrant\u2064 workers\u201d in Staten \u200bIsland made the \u2064statement in\u200d a Sept. 20 press release.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>\u201cElected officials who have supported these anti-immigrant rallies on Staten \u2064Island need to be held\u200d accountable because\u200d they\u2062 have been rallying people \u200bto build hate against immigrants &#038; our \u2063officers, the same\u2064 message used to \u200cexecute \u2064an insurrection in DC,&#8221; the group \u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LaColmenaNYC\/status\/1704516365057491306?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">posted on X<\/a>. \u201cHate and\u2062 xenophobia has \u2064been existing in \u2064Staten Island and\u200b this is the type \u200bof environment that La Colmena has \u200bbeen \u200coperating under but\u2063 that is finally coming to light\u200d for the\u2062 world to see.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/staten-island-protesters-arrested-after-blocking-bus-carrying-illegal-immigrants-5495442?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>Staten Island \u200cProtesters Arrested After Blocking Bus Carrying Illegal Immigrants<\/h3>\n<p>            <\/a>\n          <\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/20\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n          <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/staten-island-protesters-arrested-after-blocking-bus-carrying-illegal-immigrants-5495442?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/anger-is-boiling-over-staten-island-residents-sue-over-illegal-immigration-shelter-5492311?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>&#8216;Anger \u200cIs Boiling Over&#8217;: Staten Island Residents Sue Over Illegal \u2064Immigration Shelter<\/h3>\n<p>            <\/a>\n          <\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/15\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n          <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/anger-is-boiling-over-staten-island-residents-sue-over-illegal-immigration-shelter-5492311?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cWe \u200dwill fight hate with courage and uphold our values as a welcoming nation of immigrants.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Over the past several years the group has\u2063 been the\u200b recipient of millions of dollars in public funds. In 2022 La Colmena was part of a $10 million city initiative &#8220;Promise NYC&#8221; \u2063to provide child care \u2062assistance to \u200cillegal immigrants. In 2022\u2062 the group received \u200d$1,958,608 in<a href=\"https:\/\/www.causeiq.com\/organizations\/staten-island-community-job-centerinc,472787706\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> total grants and\u200c contributions.\u2064 <\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Repeated calls and emails to La Colmena from the Epoch Times requesting\u200d comment were not returned.<\/p>\n<p>Donna, a Staten \u2062Island \u200dresident who didn\u2019t want to give her last name out of fear of retaliation, told The Epoch \u2063Times that since the illegal immigrants arrived in\u2063 her neighborhood the fabric of the community has changed for\u2062 the \u200cworse.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t \u200dfeel safe anymore. I\u200c have a young\u200d daughter,\u2064 this is just disgusting.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Resident\u200c John\u200b Aspinall, \u2063who heads the\u200d Travis Neighborhood\u200b Watch group, told The Epoch Times \u200bthe influx has\u2064 polarized the community and\u2062 the situation is &#8220;getting worse\u2062 and worse and worse.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese migrants are driving abandoned vehicles with no plates and no insurance and slamming them into parked cars. They have \u200cno insurance. They have no plates. It&#8217;s\u2062 ridiculous.\u200d They do the same thing with\u200c mopeds, just two days ago two immigrants were driving on\u200c a moped and collided with a moving vehicle.\u2063 It\u2019s beyond ridiculous,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"aligncenter\"><figcaption>A recent collision\u200b event on Staten Island&#8217;s Travis neighborhood, involving illegal immigrants driving a \u200bmoped without a license, according to Mr.\u200b Aspinall.\u200b (Courtesy of John Aspinall)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"aligncenter\"><figcaption>Another recent collision event in Staten Island&#8217;s Travis neighborhood, where an illegal immigrant without a license drove into a\u200b resident&#8217;s\u2062 parked car, according \u200bto Mr. Aspinall. (Courtesy of \u200bJohn Aspinall)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Travis neighborhood residents \u200dhave been sending photos and videos of illegal immigrants sleeping on the streets and \u200bengaging \u200din dangerous behavior to the neighborhood group. (Courtesy of John Aspinall)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cIt has greatly polarized our community. They are either pro-migrant or anti-migrant. It&#8217;s splitting up the community and it shouldn\u2019t be. The migrants are behind an abandoned LA \u200cfitness with propane tanks. In the parking lot in the front they are \u2064doing donuts,\u201d Mr. Aspinall said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is no accountability. These \u200dofficials just leave them\u2063 at the shelters and walk away. There\u2062 is no security. It&#8217;s not just a danger to our community\u2014it&#8217;s a \u2063danger to them. There are small children out at all hours. \u2062It is\u2062 a safety hazard.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Staten Island is \u2063facing the consequences of a growing\u200b surge of illegal\u2064 immigrants \u200binto New \u200bYork City, \u200bthe only locality in the state considered to be a sanctuary city. Where to put the influx of new illegal immigrants has become an issue of controversy and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/calls-grow-for-staten-island-to-secede-from-nyc-as-illegal-immigrant-crisis-escalates\/\" title=\"Staten Island urged to secede from NYC amidst rising illegal immigrant crisis.\">inter-party tensions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Last week <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/staten-island-protesters-arrested-after-blocking-bus-carrying-illegal-immigrants-5495442\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">police\u2064 made 10 arrests <\/a>after fed-up Staten Island residents took to the street Tuesday \u2064night and physically blocked \u200cthe arrival of a bus \u2063carrying dozens of illegal immigrants to a residential school that had recently been converted into \u2064a shelter.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The city has long\u2064 claimed a \u200dlegal obligation to provide housing for every resident under the \u201cright to \u2063shelter\u201d law, which was first established in 1981. The rule \u2063came\u2064 into \u200cexistence after advocates for the homeless claimed \u200dthe right to shelter in\u2064 a lawsuit. The \u200bcity agreed with \u2063the homeless advocates, signing a \u201cconsent decree,\u201d which pledged \u200dto provide shelter to anyone suffering \u201cphysical, mental,\u2063 or social dysfunction.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>City officials claim\u2063 an estimated influx of 100,000\u200c illegal immigrants has strained the city\u2019s resources and services. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has insisted that the city can\u2019t sustain the numbers of new illegal immigrants, even by utilizing the outer boroughs, and has called on the \u2063rest of the \u2063state to help ease the burden.\u2062 Staten Island officials claim that it is a crisis of the mayor\u2019s own creation in deeming New York City a\u2064 \u201csanctuary city.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Staten Island, \u2063long known as the &#8220;forgotten borough,&#8221; has often flirted with the idea of breaking off from New\u200c York City. It\u2064 has always been an outlier within\u200d the five boroughs, with a majority conservative Republican population is often at odds\u2063 with the \u2064rest of the city.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>\u201cThe people feel like we are on a tugboat attached to the Titanic,\u201d \u200cStaten Island Borough\u200b President Vito Fossella told The Epoch Times<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/calls-grow-for-staten-island-to-secede-from-nyc-as-illegal-immigrant-crisis-escalates-5484414\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> in\u2063 an earlier\u2063 interview<\/a>. \u201cThe people can see that the city is sinking, and unless we are okay with sinking, too, there is a need to separate.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Donna, who has lived in the borough for\u2064 over ten\u200c years, said that she isn\u2019t anti-immigrant, \u200cbut that illegally crossing the border has had a corrosive effect on the\u2064 rule of law.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe \u200care a\u200c melting pot over here, but we are family oriented. We care about our community. We look \u200dout for each other,\u201d said Donna.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is getting out of hand. They need to close\u2063 the border.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How much funding did the organization receive from the New\u200d York City Council to support their services for the immigrant community in Staten Island?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u200bReceived a\u200c total of $3.5 million in \u200dgrants from the \u2064New York City \u200cCouncil, according to documents obtained by The Epoch \u2064Times. These funds\u200c were intended\u2063 to support the organization&#8217;s efforts in providing services \u2062and resources to\u200c the immigrant community in Staten Island.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>However, the recent statement released by La Colmena raises \u200cconcerns about the group&#8217;s \u200dstance on the issue of illegal\u200b immigration. By comparing \u200belected officials who have expressed concerns about the influx of \u2062illegal immigrants to individuals involved in an insurrection,\u200c the statement undermines the legitimacy of a reasonable debate\u2062 on the issue.<\/p>\n<p>It is important to recognize that\u200d every country has \u2063the right to protect and\u200b secure its borders. Elected officials have a responsibility\u2062 to address the\u200d concerns\u200d of their constituents and take\u2063 appropriate action to ensure \u200bthe safety and well-being of their \u200dcommunities. By dismissing\u2062 these concerns as hate and\u200c xenophobia,\u2063 La Colmena \u200cis shutting down any potential\u200c dialogue and preventing\u200d the possibility\u2064 of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-un-pick-urges-continued-u-s-presence-in-chinese-led-panels\/\" title=\"Biden\u2019s UN pick urges continued U.S. presence in Chinese-led panels\">finding common ground<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>While it is crucial to support and provide resources\u2062 for immigrants, it is equally vital to \u2063have an orderly and regulated immigration \u200bsystem that \u200drespects the rule of law. Addressing illegal \u200bimmigration is\u2063 not about targeting\u200d a specific group or promoting discrimination,\u2063 but about maintaining\u2062 the integrity of the immigration \u200dprocess and upholding the principles\u200d and \u200bvalues \u200dthat this nation was built upon.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, it is important to distinguish between \u2064legal and illegal immigration.\u200d The \u2062issue at hand is\u2064 not about opposing\u2062 immigration as \u2062a whole, but about addressing the challenges posed by illegal immigration. This includes\u2063 issues such as public\u200d safety, national security, economic impact, and the strain on public resources.<\/p>\n<p>By \u200bcalling for accountability,\u2064 La Colmena\u200c is requesting elected officials to take responsibility\u200b for their actions\u200b and statements. This\u200b is a reasonable expectation in any democratic society\u2063 where transparency and accountability are essential for effective governance.<\/p>\n<p>It is important for \u2064elected \u200bofficials to\u200b listen \u2062to the \u2062concerns \u2064of their \u200bconstituents and engage \u2063in open and\u2064 constructive dialogue. \u2063By dismissing these concerns and labeling them as \u2064hate, elected officials\u2062 risk alienating\u200b a significant portion of their\u200c constituents\u2063 and undermining the democratic process.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, addressing the\u2064 issue of illegal immigration requires\u2063 a balanced and comprehensive\u200c approach that takes into\u2064 account the interests of both the immigrant community and the \u2063broader\u200b society. It is essential for elected\u2062 officials to \u2064work\u200c together to \u200c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/md-gov-hogan-urges-biden-lawmakers-to-work-together-on-covid-19-relief-legislation\/\" title=\"Md. Gov. Hogan urges Biden, lawmakers to work together on COVID-19 relief legislation\">find common ground<\/a> and develop effective policies \u200cthat\u200d address the\u2063 challenges posed\u2063 by illegal immigration while\u2063 upholding the values and principles of\u2064 this great \u2064nation.<\/p>\n<p>As citizens, we \u2063have the right \u2064to \u2062hold \u2064our elected\u200c officials accountable and to expect them to act in the best interests of the \u200bcountry and \u2062its citizens. Let us strive for a\u2063 system that \u2062fosters openness, transparency, and respectful dialogue, so that together\u200c we can find solutions to the complex\u200b issue of illegal immigration.<\/p>\n<p>In \u2064the\u200c words \u2062of La Colmena, &#8220;We\u200b will fight hate with courage and uphold our values as a welcoming nation of immigrants.&#8221; Let us\u2063 remember these words as we navigate this challenging issue and \u200cstrive to\u200b find\u2063 solutions that \u200drespect the rule of law, protect our communities, and\u2062 honor the principles upon which this great nation was founded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A New York City immigration center has released a statement urging elected officials to be &#8220;held accountable&#8221; for speaking out against the increase of illegal immigrants in Staten Island neighborhoods. They likened their words to those attempting an insurrection in DC. La Colmena, a nonprofit organization aiding day laborers and domestic workers, supports this message.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2342,"featured_media":2047101,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2047100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2047100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2342"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2047100"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2047100\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2047101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2047100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2047100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2047100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}