Maybe I’m naive, but I was shocked last month by the reaction to news that Monroe County might get a shelter for immigrant children.
In late June, when the media reported that the federal government was looking at locations in the Rochester and Buffalo areas, Congressman Chris Collins lashed out. It’s “unacceptable,” he said, that “the federal government is trying to force the hard-working taxpayers of New York to foot the bill to house undocumented immigrants.”
The children we’re talking about are from Central America, and they’re fleeing terrible economic conditions or often terrifying violence.
Reports by the United Nations and other human rights agencies say that many of them are victims of gang violence and persecution, family abuse, forced labor, and human trafficking.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees office estimates that 58 percent of the children have experienced harm or face the threat of harm in their countries and could need international protection.
In Guatemala, says a report by Human Rights Watch, “Powerful criminal organizations engage in widespread acts of violence and extortion.” And, says the report, “The exploitation of children in sexual tourism, pornography, and organized crime is a widespread problem.”
A New York Times report earlier this month documented violence and torture of children in Honduras, largely due to rampant gang violence. And in El Salvador, the Times said, street gang violence has led to a murder rate of more than eight people a day.
Some of the children fleeing across the Mexico-US border have relatives living in the United States. Some do not, and are coming here – on their own volition or at the insistence of family members – seeking refuge and a better, more secure life.
Some of them die before they get to the border, victims of violence or the intense heat and lack of water and food along the way.
And when they get here, they are met with American hostility: protests, verbal abuse, and humiliation. US Immigrant rights groups say that some of the children have been abused – physically and verbally – by US Border Patrol employees.
Some of these children will have to go back to their home country. Others could be granted protected status and could be permitted to stay – legally. Although some public officials are pushing for quick deportation, all of these children have the right to due process to determine their status. But they need shelter while they wait.
New York City has sheltered more than 3000 of them, the New York Times reported last week, and officials there expect 7000 more. Immigrant-rights groups and city officials are working together to get help for them. Syracuse also wants to help; Mayor Stephanie Miner and the Syracuse Catholic Diocese have written President Obama saying they welcome a shelter there.
But in Greater Rochester? When federal officials were studying two Monroe County sites, there were immediate protests, including Chris Collins’s little rant, and little sign of welcome. No Syracuse-type invitation, no statement of support, no pledge to find an acceptable shelter facility and provide food and clothing and medical care.
“That’s disturbing to me,” long-time immigrant-rights activist John Ghertner told me late last week. “And what bothers me even more than the lack of a community statement is that we’ve got two senators in New York State who are not up for election and would probably have to commit murder to lose an election” and so far, neither has said a word. Not that Ghertner and I can determine.
Early this week, a ray of hope broke through locally: The owners of the former Blossom Nursing Home on Monroe Avenue have contacted city officials about sheltering up to 172 of the children at that site. Mayor Lovely Warren and her senior staff are studying that inquiry, to assess the facility and the children’s needs and to talk with area neighborhood groups, service providers, and faith groups.
In a press release on Tuesday, Warren said that if the children are to be housed in Rochester, “it is imperative we ensure that the environment is a safe one for them, where they can receive not only the legal support, but the spiritual and emotional support that they will need in order to make the transition back home or to another place of safety.”
Obviously the children can’t be placed just anywhere. Federal officials have been studying such things as vacant retail stores that could be adapted as temporary shelters. In Syracuse, federal officials are considering housing the children at a site owned by the Sisters of St. Francis. In Monroe County, federal officials determined that the buildings they first studied weren’t suitable.
This county doesn’t lack for empty and under-utilized buildings, though. Rather than protests and political rants from the anti-immigrant forces and a deafening silence from the rest of us, I hope we’ll follow the example of Rochester’s mayor. If the Blossom South property isn’t suitable, we can find another.
In her statement on Tuesday, Warren said what other politicians and community leaders ought to be saying: “As a community we have a moral obligation to show compassion to these young people.”
The plight of the immigrant children is “a humanitarian crisis,” John Ghertner told me last week. “We have an obligation to support a population in need.” After the devastating hurricane, Americans responded with aid – and shelter. “We took in thousands of people,” Ghertner said. “There was no question at all about taking them in. We have an obligation as Americans to protect the lives of people.”
Ghertner reminds us that Greater Rochester was an exceptionally welcoming community during and after the Vietnam War, providing homes and aid for numerous refugees. Nor can we ignore the role this country plays: through our demand for drugs and our history of supporting brutal Central American governments.
Now, Americans are slamming the door on children, many of whom have fled trauma and violence and face more if we turn them away.
We ought to be ashamed of ourselves.
This article appears in Jul 23-29, 2014.
I have to wonder why Mexico, with its very strict border security, is letting children into the country at it’s southern border and letting them exit their northern border with the US? Mexico is the conduit for all of these children. Why isn’t Mexico being held accountable for aiding and abetting the smugglers? What makes the US responsible for all this?
America is a nation of immigrants… LEGAL immigrants.
“Some of them die before they get to the (US) border, victims of violence or the intense heat and lack of water and food along the way.”
Why are we letting them die in Mexico? Why don’t we send planes to Central America to get them and bring them here? Wouldn’t that be safer for them?
Ms Towler, you referenced Chris Lee I believe in error later in the article. Also, I don’t understand why you are calling people’s religious beliefs (be they Christian or otherwise) out in your editorial. People can have compassion for people , as I do, but still believe that our borders should be more secure. Why is it our country’s responsibility to provide a home for people who came here illegally in spite of the conditions in their home countries?
They are mostly teenagers. Most of the reporting on this seeks to plant the image of a group of lost toddlers crossing the border.
To Roc Resident: You’re correct; the second reference was incorrect. The statement was from Chris Collins. It’s been corrected; thanks.
Roc Resident: You can believe the borders should be more secure, but not swarm buses of frightened children with nasty signs and chanting.
And I think religion does play into this. Because you have this disgusting reaction from a majority of people who identify with the far right, politically. And these folks are often, quite loudly, Christian. Yet, the vile way they’ve been attacking the plight of these kids is just about the most unChrist-like thing I could possibly imagine.
Kara Austin: So the majority of Americans on the right are “vile”, “disgusting” and “unChristian-like” Christians? Care to take a stab at stereotyping Liberal Americans?
As long as the County of Monroe and the City of Rochester EQUALLY share any costs ,above and beyond , what the Federal Govt’ does not cover, if any. I wholly support the efforts of The City of Rochester and the County of Monroe to further study and determine the entire feasibility of such efforts to protect children, women and teenagers, fleeing illegally from crime, oppression by a Govt’, or Drug Cartel Violence, that may be housed in the Community. As long as the Fed. provides the security detail to safely house , feed and care for, in the near future, on a TEMPORARY BASIS ONLY, in our City and County of Monroe. This is a REFUGEE CRISIS not an immigration crisis.
Craig R. Moffitt
There is a statue in the New York harbor that beckons , “Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses yearning to be free.” Back in the early twentieth century, tens of thousands of Italians and Sicilians passed beneath this statue, most undocumented, they had no papers. The immigration officers posted the letters WOP (without papers), on their applications. The derogatory name stuck, but they came, they worked hard, they became good citizens and added to the American culture. I, of Irish heritage, ended up marrying one of the descendants of that mass migration of undocumented immigrants.
Perhaps the statue, if it has become irrelevant, should be torn down. Scrap copper is at a premium these days.
I strongly disagree with the characterization of Rochesterians in this article. Yes, there has been a good deal of objecting to bringing illegal immigrants to the area. However, I don’t believe it is because people here are uncaring and lack compassion. Rather, I feel people are WEARY of taking on the problems of the world. And when we do step up to help, Americans are vilified – as evidenced by the commentary in the article about Border Patrol Agents . After two untenable wars and countless other interventions that cost us American lives and treasure, it’s time to focus on what we need in this country, this state and this city.
Who should be ashamed is Mary Anna Towler for that blatant assault on the city and state she claims to love so much. Mrs. Towler, simply because hard working, LAW-ABIDING citizens are tired of their tax dollars being used for at best, dubious causes and at worst corruption at the highest levels, does NOT mean we are the heartless people you have the insolence to portray us as. Now I just came back from Mass. I prayed that the crisis at the border can get worked out, that these children can find peace and safety. But NOT on our backs and our dollars. I’ve been made to pay enough over the years for a war I didn’t want, for liquor and cigarettes for people who’d rather live on my dollar than make their own, for the rich to make money off the backs of everyone else and for government bureaucrats to sit around watching pornography all day on their computer while getting full health care, paid vacations to luxury resorts and money for pensions.
If in some way a few dollares could be made on these ones then they would become legal real fast.
I read that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel offered to take 1000 of the ‘refugees’. Chicago is near the top of the list of cities with crime, gang and gun violence. Isn’t that what these children are supposedly fleeing from?
Let’s be real honest here. The left has never had much usage for Christianity until now. When the left begins opposing abortion I will believe them.
I ask that if you are Christian to attempt to adopt one of these children and teach them Christian values. Who knows they may vote republican and the whole thing will backfire on obama
Andrew and many others prove that Christians value money above all else.
And Bart…”we” are legal immigrants? The Native Americans granted us that status?? I think you need to read some history books.
Tom: FYI I was born here and that makes me an American citizen. I did have relatives who came here LEGALLY from other countries (and still have the documents to prove it). I agree we should learn from history. The Native Americans could not turn back the ‘immigrants’ who eventually colonized and claimed North America. If the US can’t or won’t defend her borders and sovereignty the same thing could happen again. The US has fought wars to prevent the conquest of other countries but we’re not doing anything to protect our own borders. We are a nation of laws and LEGAL immigrants.