Under the Trump Administration, immigration is constantly in the news. How would Staten Island herself respond to comments from some of today’s “long time” residents of Richmond County, like “Nicole”, on today’s hot button issue? (hint - with history)
Staten Island: Over the past few years, I sustained the highest percentage growth among the foreign-born.
Nicole: Unacceptable! Mexicans and illegal immigrants are invading our borough.
Staten Island: Invading us? Since Giovanni da Verrazano first sailed into my shores in 1524, I have always seen waves of newcomers. In 1843, famed writer Henry David Thoreau observed from Grymes Hill a ship arriving in New York harbor: “I see [immigrants] stretching their limbs and taking the air on this piece of the land of liberty.” Today, over one-third of the borough's foreign-born residents come from countries in Europe, led overwhelming by Italy and followed by people born in Russia and Poland.
Nicole: Those immigrants did it the right way — just like my ancestors.
Staten Island: Looking at history you will find Staten Island’s rich history covers a full spectrum of immigrants traveling thousands of miles to give a better life to their families — and many didn't do it the “right way."
People assume their family immigrated legally. In most cases, this statement does not reflect the fact that the immigration system was drastically different in the past, and that many of your families would not have been allowed to enter had today’s laws been in effect.
There are plenty of reports during the 1920’s of immigrants jumping ship as the most common form of illegal entry by European nationals, with estimates that 180,000 had deserted the ships to evade immigration authorities with thousands literally swimming to Staten Island. Indeed, the current Republican congressman’s own great grandfather came here without legal status.
When many immigrants arrived in the United States decades ago, there were no requirements to have an existing family or employment relationship with someone in the country, and no requirement to obtain a visa before arriving, as is the case now.
Under today’s outdated immigration system there is simply no "right way" available for millions of people (unless the U.S. grants amnesty like it did for the Cubans.) There are still thousands of undocumented immigrants living here on Staten Island that come not just from Mexico but also Italy, Russia, Poland, Albania, Liberia.
Nicole: Maybe our ancestors didn't all come the legal way but today’s illegal immigrants threaten our national security.
Staten Island: Times have changed, but the cycles of fear and hatred towards immigrants, largely tied to economic insecurity, has not. Immigrants were always seen as a threat to national security.
In the 1850s, the “Know Nothing” party gained power as they exploited anti-immigrant sentiment to target Irish, German, and Italian new arrivals. We’ve seen this throughout history with signs indicating “Irish need not apply." Today, we have people shouting “Build the Wall” to Latino families.
Nicole: I don't care. We are a nation of laws and immigrants must have legal authority to come here.
Staten Island: Europeans weren't given any legal authority to settle in Aquehonga Manacknong, as I was originally called (imagine someone coming into your home and taking it away from you or forcing you to accept $1 to purchase your house). Unless you are a descendent of the Lenape nation who originally inhabited Staten island, all on Staten Island are the original “illegal” immigrants.
Nicole: I am not illegal!
Staten Island: You are right. No human being is illegal. We use to be a nation that celebrated the Statue of Liberty. Now we are a nation that wants to build a wall. I know we will get through this storm as we have done MANY times before. I will always be a welcoming land to all people, continuing the tradition that makes Staten Island great. Let’s start by modernizing our outdated immigration system to allow millions to legalize their status.