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Some Staten Islanders offering a more welcoming vision of NYC to migrants
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Sep 2, 2023
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Brittany Kriegstein/ Gothamist
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Sep 2, 2023
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As scenes of angry protesters, expletive-filled signs and police barricades continue to dominate migrant-related news from Staten Island, some residents are trying to show the thousands of migrants who've crossed the borough's shores over the past year another side of it.
That includes trying to make the newcomers feel welcome — or at least fed — by sharing meals, making calls, buttering rolls and giving out pizza, according to individuals and mutual aid groups who have sprung into action to help their new neighbors.
“If you see starving people and you could do something, that's one thing, whether or not they should be here or what their immigrant status is,” said Sebastian “Sam” Bongiovanni, the owner of Verde’s Pizza and Pasta House in Travis.
The restaurant got a lot of heat from residents last fall for delivering free pies to hungry migrants at nearby shelters. Although the backlash – and the handouts – affected Bongiovanni’s bottom line, he said it ultimately helped the community get a handle on the issue.
“Nobody knew what was happening. There was no system in place. And that's what Verde's Pizza and Pasta shouted out,” he said. “This community took control of the situation, and this community fixed it.”
While Bongiovanni said things in Travis are more settled now, erupting protests in other neighborhoods have sparked new waves of urgency to dispel myths and foster positive interactions between Staten Island residents and the new migrants.
Migrants and community members share a meal on Staten Island.
Brittany Kriegstein/Gothamist
On Wednesday night, the Staten Island Immigrants Council hosted a dinner at Yeshiva Sanz in Port Richmond called “Breaking Bread, Building Bonds” as an opportunity for community members and newcomers to share a meal together.
Nearly 100 people attended the event, which Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Staten Island representative, Tom Scarangello, and members of the NYC Commission on Human Rights also attended. The turnout far surpassed organizers’ initial predictions of 40-60 people, according to Abou Sy Diakhate, co-chair of the Immigrants Council.
“Seeking asylum is a fundamental human right, and it is protected by international law,” Diakhate said. “We will continue to foster empathy and understanding, you know — that's what I believe — rather than perpetuating negativity.”
Staten Islanders working to help the migrants said they understand why their neighbors might be concerned about the situation.
“I understand why people would feel this way, because if you only read the New York Post and some articles, it does sound inflammatory,” said Celeste Tesoriero, a lawyer from the island who is helping several of the migrant families with their cases pro bono. “The idea that people just wanted a free ride so they came here … I totally understand why that would piss people off. That would piss me off. But because I know them, I know it's not true.”
Tesoriero said she connected with six migrant families – two from Venezuela and four from Russia – in October 2022 when they were staying at hotels on Wild Avenue in Travis.
She said many of them have made big strides since then, such as obtaining work permits and driver’s licenses, and making progress toward affording their own homes.
“They didn't come here just because they wanted a free ride,” she said. “Every single one of them wants to work, and almost all of them have a work permit and have at least one member of the family working.”
Tesoriero said it’s important to dispel some of the other myths about the newcomers: that they’re not being vetted or tracked by the U.S. government, or the idea that they might be criminals fleeing their home countries to continue to commit offenses in America.
They have educations, they're smart, they're hardworking. And once they got just a little bit of help, they have flourished.
Staten Island attorney Celeste Tesoriero
“If you're coming out of jail, you don't have the means to get the money to travel here because it does cost money to travel here. A lot of them basically sold their homes,” she said.
Additionally, almost all migrants undergo a vetting and tracking process from the moment they cross the border and present their documents to Customs and Border Protection, Tesoriero said. And staying in the country is not a given while their cases proceed – they can be deported at any time if they get in trouble with the law.
Tesoriero said it’s also important to remember that many of the migrants already had good jobs and useful skills back home, and just need a little push to become helpful members of the Staten Island community.
“These people are not coming from a situation where it's impossible for them to succeed,” she said. “They have educations, they're smart, they're hardworking. And once they got just a little bit of help, they have flourished.”
Bongiovanni said he also understands some residents' frustrations about the newcomers.
“I think the major concern is that these people seem to be jumping the line. There's a lot of our own people here that aren’t getting nearly what these people are getting,” he said. “But once again, Verde’s is not a political store. And if somebody comes to our door, we're always, always willing to help somebody.”
Tagged
Asylum Seekers
Politics
staten island
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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