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(TJV NEWS) A throng of impassioned protestors swarmed an Arrochar street on a Wednesday night, united in their fervent opposition to a migrant shelter that was slated to open at the former St. John Villa Academy within days, SI Live reported.
Earlier in the week, officials from New York City confirmed that the site would provide shelter for up to 300 adults, a response to the pressing need of accommodating nearly 60,000 migrants currently under the city’s care. A staggering influx of around 100,000 migrants since April 2022 has ratcheted up the urgency of addressing this complex challenge.
@ScottLoBaido felt great to stand with Staten Island tonight. pic.twitter.com/JUY7JChjhk
— Andrew_W_MG (@Andrew_W_MG) August 24, 2023
Amidst the rallying cries, one Staten Island elected official took a stand, declaring their intent to wield legal measures against the city’s decision to actualize the shelter.
Huge crowd shows up in Staten Island protesting unvetted illegals being sent to their community! pic.twitter.com/WnCiIxRiyl
— Miller S Anne (@MillerSAnne1) August 24, 2023
Leading the charge was Borough President Vito Fossella, a staunch voice among the assembled elected representatives. Fossella underscored his message with a pair of photographs depicting migrants congregating outside another Island-based migrant shelter situated in the former Hungerford School site in Clifton. He left no room for ambiguity, articulating his plan to launch a legal counteroffensive to thwart the proposed shelter at the Villa site.
More from the St.John Villa in Staten Island. United against the invasion of migrants into their community. pic.twitter.com/j8oCfHHfQj
— Andrew_W_MG (@Andrew_W_MG) August 24, 2023
Fossella pronounced, “We are here to be your voice. Regrettably, our appeals have seemingly fallen on deaf ears over the past approximately 10 months, but we are not prepared to surrender without putting up a fight. The Staten Island community comprehends the situation clearly, as they possess a strong sense of common sense.”
#STATENISLAND #CLOSETHEBORDER pic.twitter.com/eKjogYFEIX
— Nancy Mo (@TheRealNancyMo) August 24, 2023
The street became a cacophony of impassioned voices along Landis Avenue, reverberating with fervent chants that echoed sentiments of safeguarding their children and advocating for the return of migrants to their nations of origin. The intensity of these chants often overwhelmed the speakers at an improvised podium placed outside the school, a relic from its closure in 2018.
Benjamin Bifalco, one of the organizers of the event, articulated the collective sentiment to local media: “Our mission is to amplify a message, one centered around securing the safety of our children, and in doing so, preserving the safety of our entire community.”
Curtis Sliwa at the Staten Island protest tonight against unvetted illegals being housed in their community. Right next to the school! pic.twitter.com/sK2Wzq3RfZ
— Miller S Anne (@MillerSAnne1) August 24, 2023
Bifalco added “While we were certainly expecting a respectable turnout, the sheer volume of participants is staggering. It is a clear testament to the genuine concern that courses through our community.”
John Tabacco, a host from News Nation television, who unofficially played the role of master of ceremonies for the evening. He estimated the crowd’s size to be in the thousands, underlining the significant response.
Where the hell are @SenSchumer and @SenGillibrand??? No action from the Senate and not a peep from these two while New York is turning into a disaster zone. https://t.co/ZhFTkdEBBz
— Nicole Malliotakis (@NMalliotakis) August 24, 2023
The unified gathering carried a consistent message directed at the administration of Mayor Eric Adams: an unequivocal rejection of the proposed migrant shelter adjacent to St. Joseph Hill Academy, ensconced within their predominantly residential enclave.
Past instances of shelter hotels in Travis and makeshift arrangements at the former Richard H. Hungerford School site in Stapleton sparked localized protests, but nothing of the scale observed now. The revelation of the possible shelter at the former Midland Beach assisted living facility on August 7th rekindled opposition among elected officials and the general populace.
Staten Island NY. At a rally against migrants being housed at Saint John’s Villa. City Councilman @JoeBorelliNYC tell the crowd that they need to demand to turn migrants busses around
🎥 by @LeeroyPress pic.twitter.com/jh2IPhw0gI— Viral News NYC (@ViralNewsNYC) August 24, 2023
As each elected representative stepped up to the podium, including Fossella, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, State Sen. Andrew Lanza, Assemblyman Michael Tannousis, Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo, City Councilman Joseph Borelli, and City Councilman David Carr, the crowd’s energy oscillated between impatience and anticipation. Some participants were eager for more than a mere update about the potential lawsuit, leading their chants to occasionally overshadow the words of the officials.
Wow. Look how many people are at this rally at Saint John’s Villa. Residents are pissed over migrants being housed at the Villa
For licensing email [email protected] #NYC #MIGRANTS #MIGRANTCRISIS pic.twitter.com/ETgnFgOEcW— Viral News NYC (@ViralNewsNYC) August 24, 2023
The extent to which these protests, legal actions, and other strategies influence the city’s decisions remains uncertain. Earlier that same day, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom painted a sobering picture of the ongoing migrant crisis, one that city officials estimate could potentially incur costs of $12 billion over the coming years.
Williams-Isom reflected somberly, “I take pride in the work we have undertaken, but if we project forward by around four months — a time by which we’ll find ourselves in 2024 — the numbers may potentially double once again. This prospect defies rationality.”
