Whenever there is an issue that effects any other community African American, Jewish, Palestinian, Gay or LBGTQ+ they mobilize and demand intervention, or a remedy.
But the Latino community here in New York City is absent and silent.Where other communities voice thier distain and make there issues and concerns known, the Latinex/Latino/Hispanic accepts it. Aye bendito!
Today there are roughtly 150,000+/- Latinex/Latino/Hispanic’s fleeing starvation, oppression or toture, and more arrieving everyday. They cross several countries, on foot and are led by “coyotes” through the jungles often confronting inclement weather. They are robbed, many are abused by gangs or cartels, corrupt police, and abuse at the border. Once they make it into Texas where they are not welcomed by the Government, they are bused to into New York, or another sanctuary City.
New York City historically accepted immigrants, in fact over 20 million European immigrants passed through Castle Garden and Ellis Island combined, betweeen 1842 and 1954. But today the immigrants entering this Country are not European. They are mostly Brown and Black and the City is not so accomodating. Sure, they have received some assistance, they are bounced from one shelter to another, from one tent city to the next.
The Mayor has attempted to bus them upstate, and was sued. He has put them in school gymnasyms, repurposed prisons, empty office spaces, and now has erected even bigger tent City. All of these band-aid solutions have failed.
1) Tent City on Orchard Beach in the Bronx — Failure
2) Tent City on Randall’s Island in East Harlem — Failure
3) Tent City on Floyd Benett Field in Brooklyn — ??? TBD
Albert Einstien said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
This is insane.
In 1866 4 million Immgrants entered New York City through Castle Garden, and between 1892 and 1954 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island. WOW thats 80 EIGHTY times more than the 150,000 immigrants today.
From 1845-1852 at the risk of stravation 845,000 Irish immigrants came into New York City. Back then the Mayor did not whine that the City would go broke nor did the Governor tell them to go someplace else. In fact together with the State Legislature the Governor created the first immigration processing station at Castle Garden on Lower Manhattan. Then the social reformer Lilian Wald created the Henry Street Settlement House to help the immigrants. Why are’nt any Latino leaders taking the lead in helping to resolve this issue? Congress Woman Alexandra Ocasio Cortz and Representative Adriano Espillet took a stand (more like a photo op) at a protest rally at the Roosevelt Hotel in the summer 2023, but that’s it. After the cameras left and the microphone were removed they left. What have they done, Nada, nothing thats what.
Why are’nt any Latino leaders taking the lead in helping to resolve this issue? Congress Woman Alexandra Ocasio Cortz and Representative Adriano Espillet took a stand (more like a photo op) at a protest rally at the Roosevelt Hotel in the summer of 2023, but that’s it. After the cameras left and the microphone were removed they left. And what have they done? Nada, nothing thats what.
I say that we the Latinex/Latino/Hispanic community must step up and help these immigrants ourselves. The first law of nature is self preservation so we have to do for our community what the government will not.
I came out of retirement to work with the immigrants. I remember growing up in New York City when we Puerto Ricans were treated like immigrants and discriminated against. We were not wanted either. I’ve interviewed hundreds of them, and have assessed their needs. With the exception of a few single mothers with infants or toddlers not one of them has asked for a hand out. All they talk about is finding work, so that they can send for their famliy members, pay taxes and become productive contributors to the community.
In the 1930’s during the prohibition era it was not Brown or Black immigrants creating mayhem. The criminals were not Latinos shooting it out on the streets, fighting over territory for the sale of illegal alcohol. When Donald Trump talks about Mexicans sending there worst, the drug dealers, murderers and rapist, he is ignorant to the fact that the founding of this nation was by criminals and lunatics. Briton emptied its prisons and asylums and sent them to the colonies. Sort of what Fidel Castro did in the 1970’s.
Despierta Latino, defiende lo tuyo. While the system is making it very difficult for these immigrants, they are not going to deport 150,000+ people, that is unless Trump gets re-elected.
Por que llegamos, and we’re here to stay. We contribute to the American culture. Can you imagine your office without Taco Tuesday? Or your tortilla chips without salsa? Speaking of salsa how biring if your music library lacked at least one Salsa record. Come on how would you be living the vida loca?
Say the government were to deport 100,000 of these Latinex immigrants. That would leave 50,000 +/- . Many of the 50k would eventually marry and have chiildren. In 18 years those children would be of voting age. The concept of the Browning of America will be front and center. According to many statitians, by 2080 one in every three American citizens will be Latinex.
But today, right now these immigrants need help, they need someone to speak for them. They are terrified to rock the boat for fear of immediate deportation. So they accept the abuse. They cant legally work, but they must take care of their families so they work werever they can. Often for way below the minimum wage, many times they do not get paid for their labor, they get ripped off by the scrupulous. Then they get bounced from one shelter or tentcity to another.
In Mexico there is a reframe that is said when someone visits., they are welcomed with the words, bienvenido, mi casa es su casa.