Staten Island, a neighborhood in New York, has become a center of resistance against the migrant crisis, with residents passionately protesting against the filling of a former Catholic girls school, St. John Villa Academy, with 300 migrants. The community is engaged in round-the-clock vigils to prevent this from happening. Although St. John Villa Academy is closed, there are other nearby Catholic schools and a school for handicapped students. The residents of Staten Island feel targeted by City Hall, as the Adams administration plans to place migrants at various locations in the area, including Fort Wadsworth, the Staten Island New York State Armory, and the Island Shores Senior Citizen Home.
Adding insult to injury, Timothy Cardinal Dolan criticized the residents for their protest against the migrant shelter. This is particularly frustrating, as Staten Island takes pride in its high number of residents who have graduated from Catholic schools. It is worth noting that the borough has also experienced a significant number of Catholic school closures under Dolan and the archdiocese.
Staten Island has a history of supporting law enforcement, as demonstrated by the establishment of Blue Lives Matter during the summer of 2020, when police officers were facing attacks. The community has a strong working-class identity and has always shown incredible support for patriotic holidays. They have the longest-running Fourth of July parade in the nation, a large turn out for Memorial Day parades, and host some of the largest Veterans Day parades.
It’s important to recognize that Staten Island is a politically balanced borough, with both registered Democrats and Republicans. The targeting of various sites for migrants by Mayor Adams has caused outrage among residents across party lines. Many New York residents are frustrated with Adams’ push to house migrants throughout the residential island.
The placement of migrants at St. John Villa Academy was the catalyst for the anger and frustration felt by Staten Island residents. Just two months prior, City Hall and elected officials assured them that the school was not being considered for housing migrants. Feeling betrayed, residents quickly organized protests against the migrant shelter. However, their momentary victory in court, with a temporary restraining order being issued against the migrants, was short-lived as an appellate court judge in Brooklyn overruled the decision to move the migrants.
Staten Island is a community where the immigrant experience is deeply rooted. Its residents support legal immigration, which is the same process that brought their own families to the United States. They are opposed to an “Easy Pass” system that bypasses the proper channels and leaves their loved ones waiting in other countries. Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee for mayor in 2021, understands and echoes these sentiments.
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