STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Rev. Terry Troia of Project Hospitality cautioned the Staten Island Hunger Task Force Monday night about the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the borough, particularly in communities where food pantries operate.
According to Troia, ICE attempted to enter Faith United Methodist Church during their pantry hours recently.
Troia said, “…it was a very upsetting situation for the church, the pastor, and the people that were volunteering at the pantry. We need to know that people are safe to get food, and we have to have a safety plan to provide that level of support to people in their need for emergency food.”
Under the direction of President Donald Trump, ICE has been detaining thousands of immigrants across the nation in an effort to reduce the number of undocumented immigrants in the country.
In these nationwide sweeps, legal immigrants and American citizens have been arrested due to ICE agent errors, published reports say.
Local Staten Island organizations like La Colmena are hosting “ICE Watch” events, where advocates walk through areas, including Port Richmond, to see if ICE agents are in the neighborhood.
A Staten Island soldier’s stepfather was allegedly taken by ICE agents as he was walking to work at 6:30 a.m. one November morning in the vicinity of Castleton and Heberton Avenues in Port Richmond.
The corner of Castleton and Heberton Avenues is where Faith United Methodist Church is located.
“My stepfather — who has raised me for as long as I can remember and who I consider my true father — was taken into custody…Early that morning, my sister called me, hysterical, that my father was detained,” said the 22-year-old Port Richmond resident.
“In that moment, I felt shock, anger, and disbelief. How could this be happening to my father in the very same country I proudly serve?” added Jesus who requested to only be referred to by his first name.
Project Hospitality and Staten Island Inter-Religious Leadership are hosting an immigration workshop for Staten Island houses of worship via Zoom on Dec. 3 at 10 a.m. and Dec. 9 at 3 p.m.
The flier reads: “This is a free workshop presented by an immigration attorney for Staten Island houses of worship on what to do if ICE visits your facility and ways for community members to assert their legal rights.”
To sign up for the workshop, you can reach out to kpershing@projecthospitality.org.