Illegal immigrants, and other day laborers, in Suffolk County, NY were “evicted” Monday morning. Residents of Central America and Mexico, they relied on construction jobs, which, due to the economy, have dried up. Since they could no longer pay rent, they made their way to la montaña, the mountain, for its location on a hillside.
Due to freezing temps, officials from Huntington, along with social workers, visited the site and posted signs warning that the structures were unsafe and ordering the men to leave or face up to $15,000 in fines, six months in jail, or both. After the visit, the town also ordered the owners of the property, Starlight Building Corporation, to clear it of garbage and debris.
Advocates said that the removal of the tents in Huntington Station underscored how little compassion there was for illegal workers, especially because no viable alternative housing was offered.
Local officials countered that the men were on private property and had been directed to temporary shelters for their own safety during the bitter cold spell. But they could not be given more permanent housing because their immigration status precluded the county from being reimbursed by the state for housing expenses.
“Even though undocumented folks are ineligible for public benefits, we would put them up for a night or two until they could make other arrangements,” said Edward Hernandez, the deputy commissioner for social services in Suffolk County.
