Anti-immigrant feelings called 'rampant' here
Executive director of Project Hospitality speaks at forum on racism, discrimination and economic problems
Saturday, April 17, 2004
By KIAWANA RICH
ADVANCE STAFF WRITER
A panel of community leaders, activists and politicians met yesterday in Stapleton to discuss issues affecting many people in Staten Island's immigrant community, including racism, discrimination and economic and other problems.

The event, entitled, "Speak Out on Immigration: Building Better Bridges," was hosted by Project Hospitality in its Community Services Center and was organized and sponsored by the Staten Island Welfare Advocacy Network.

Norman Eng of the New York Immigration Coalition told the group that in the period after Sept. 11, immigrant advocates were afraid the government would stop immigrants from entering the country.

"The backlash was harsh, but it was not a worst-case scenario," he said. And while many immigrants were targeted, the main targets were Arabs and Muslims.

REGISTRATION SYSTEM

The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service launched the National Security Entry Exit Registration System, which forced Arab and Muslim men over the age of 16 to be fingerprinted and photographed, Eng noted.

In good faith, 82,000 men came forward, and 13,000 of them ended up being deported, he said.

The attack also brought a tightening of immigrant enforcement policies and the use of databases to make immigration arrests.

"Federal databases are being used to track and capture [immigrants]," said Eng.

The Rev. Terry Troia, executive director of Project Hospitality, discussed the underlying level of racism and ethnic hatred in the borough, which she said seems to be growing.

For example, on Wednesday, a sticker attacking immigrants and people of color was found on the walls of a bathroom in the Staten Island Mall, New Springville.

"Racism and anti-immigration [feeling] on Staten Island are rampant," said Rev. Troia. She noted that some white supremacist and racist organizations have been holding meetings here and attempting to build a base on the Island.

Immigrants face other problems, she noted. They are often economically exploited, making it difficult for them to support their families. Language barriers make it harder for them to speak out, and housing issues make it difficult for them to find a decent place to live.

The anti-immigrant feeling is ironic, she said, because "We are a community of immigrants on Staten Island."

Speaker Juan Fernandez of the city Commission on Human Rights interpreted for Marcos Zasaza of the Island's Mexican-American community.

Zasaza told the group he has been assaulted and mugged several times since moving to Staten Island. Many laborers like himself are subject to trickery and deception in the workplace, he added.

"This is something that needs to be stopped," Zasaza said. "I have asked my friends if racism and discrimination stops them from going after their goals and dreams. Eight out of 10 of my friends said, 'Yes, this stops us from doing what we want to do,'" he said.

Andrew Elmore of the Legal Aid Society told the group that immigrants have rights that could protect them against abuse.

But when immigrants are victims of crime, "They have a lot of fear about speaking to public officials and talking to the police," Elmore said.

He acknowledged that many immigrants are taken advantage of by employers.

"Unscrupulous employers take advantage because they can, but it is a crime not to pay someone wages they are owed," said Elmore.

According to federal law, immigrants must be paid minimum wage and they must get overtime pay, he said.

Also speaking at the event were Assemblyman John Lavelle (D-North Shore); Sam Daniels, Liberian-American Community