LIC Courthouse (Google Maps)
July 2, 2018 By Nathaly Pesantez
A mother who was separated from her children on the Mexican border and who will be reunited with her kids tomorrow will be welcomed by Long Island City residents as she passes by the neighborhood today.
Yeni González, from Guatemala, was held at an ICE detention center in Arizona for 43 days after illegally crossing the U.S. and Mexico border with her children, ages 10, 8 and 5, according to several reports.
González was released last Thursday, several days after news broke out of her plight to be reunited with her three kids, who were sent to New York City and have remained here for a month under the care of the Cayuga Centers.
Since her release, brokered by her lawyer, a group of volunteers have come together to drive González from Arizona to New York to meet with her children, according to WNYC.
Her journey across the U.S. will end tonight, where the trek will take her across the Queensboro Bridge and past the Long Island City Courthouse, located at 25-10 Ct Square W, where a rally will form to welcome her at around 7 p.m. The rally’s organizers are encouraging attendees to bring signs in support of González, and welcoming her to the city.
A number of local civic groups will be at the event, including the Hunters Point Civic Association (HPCA) and the Court Square Civic Association.
“Queens and Long Island City welcomes immigrants, and separating families is wrong,” said Brent O’Leary, President of the HPCA. He said his group and members will be there to lend a large show of welcome and appreciation for González.
Prior to that, González will pass through 59th Street at Central Park, where another rally will be held at around 6:30 p.m. while she passes by in a car.
Julie Schwietert Collazo, a 40-year-old mom from Long Island City and one of the organizers helping González, said a press conference will be held at the Court Square rally, with attendees including Assembly Member Aravella Simotas, State Senator Michael Gianaris, and State Senate candidate Jessica Ramos.
Although González will be in New York City tonight, she won’t be able to meet with her children until tomorrow morning, as the Cayuga Center only allows visitors from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to Schwietert Collazo, who is in contact with González’s lawyer, José Xavier Orochena.
González will be staying in an apartment in Queens belonging to Schwietert Collazo’s friend tonight before she heads to see her children in East Harlem the next day.
While González will be reuniting with her family tomorrow, it is unclear what will be the next steps for her and her children. Schwietert Collazo said González’s relative in North Carolina has applied to become the children’s sponsor, and the application appears to be going through.
“The philosophy is to get the kids out of foster care as fast as possible,” Schwietert Collazo said. “And if that means going to North Carolina, that the case will be heard there, we’re definitely behind her.”
Schwietert Collazo, in conjunction with other volunteers, have launched a GoFundMe for González, which has since raised roughly $30,000, and helped organize her cross-country tip to New York City.
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18 Comments
To Frank: You are spot on with your comments.
To MRIRONY: Trump did as all businessmen do hire the cheapest way to go. Lowest bids on contracts etc… Unions usually put out the BIG Inflatable RATS at non-union job sites. You just can’t get over Trump winning. He may win again, then what will you do?
Yes, Trump loves illegal immigrants, making him a huge hypocrite, thanks for agreeing. Almost as big of a hypocrite as someone like you that hates greedy real estate developers, but votes for them for president. Sad!
Celebrating a criminal who endangered her children So glad I moved.
I can’t relate to conservatives and I can’t relate to liberals. We need a common sense party. These kids should have never been separated but we have to remember that most countries have strict immigration and border laws and they have to be enforced. All laws have to be enforced. My great grandparents immigrated here legally. My wife who is still not a US citizen, came here on an H1B work visa. We jumped through hoops to prove our marriage. I have a Japanese friend who had to leave the country when he lost his job after being here for 15 years. We need to treat them well and with respect until they are sent back home. Many Americans don’t appreciate what it means to be American. We are far from perfect but we are one of the nicest oasis’s in the world. If you don’t like it here, leave and make room for people who do want to be here.
Gonzalez and her children should deported ASAP, not lionized in the neighborhood. What part of illegal is unclear to her?
Great news for the mom to be reunited but I have no idea why this is such a spectacle? The message this all sends is “please come to America however you want, disregard our rules and customs…just come on down and we’ll treat you far better than our own”….Now whether you like my comment or not, this is exactly the reason why Trump was able to win. Not only do you embolden his base, but you encourage independent Dems to lean his way too.
The main phrase here is “…after illegally crossing the U.S. and Mexico border with her children…”. Nothing more need be said. Donald trump,We need that wall…
Yes, we should have a huge pork-barrel government infrastructure project to build a wall, and spend millions funding ICE, a barely functional government agency with little oversight. You know, small government.
I expect many negative comments from New Yorkers who Hate Trump and Favor Illegals. If you want them here then you PAY for them not the taxpayers who don’t want them here. try it in their country and you will be in Jail. NYC has bigger worries than Illegals. Transit, Housing, Schools just to name a few.
If Trump hates illegal immigrants, why did he use SO MANY of them to build his luxury condos?
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/27/nyregion/trump-tower-illegal-immigrant-workers-union-settlement.html
Thanks for being such a proud supporter of a luxury condo developer btw.
To HPCA and the Court Square Civic Assoc. Instead of a Go Fund Me Page for an Illegal. How about a Go Fund ME Page to pave all the potholes on those streets that surround the Court House. Most of them have not been paved in 16 years at least. Trucks that park Illegally down the Block on Court Square West (even Overnight in the middle of the street at the end of the block) also idle after 10 pm etc..The street looks like it was in a war zone with so many holes from the trucks. Use taxpayer money for citizens or a Go Fund Me Page if the city can’t afford to pave them.
Wow, you actually care about a pothole more than a human child. Conservative values.
You mean a human child endangered by her mother who is in this country illegally. Yep, I would prioritize potholes.
To disgusting: In this case USA Citizens come first. Are you an American Citizen?
Oh great more proof that the DUMB-O-CRATS are in the pocket of Big Humanity. I would expect this kind of compassion from Shillary who wants OPEN BORDERS as if America were a nation of immigrants, but I voted for Trump who promised me no brown people would be allowed here.
The FAKE MRLIC wrote 2 Comments on this article on July 2, 2018. One about Pork Barrel infrastructure. The other about proof the Dumb-o-crats are in the pocket of big humanity and Trump promised no brown people. That statement FAKE MRLIC sounds a bit racist to me.
I don’t like Kids separated from parents. If she is Illegal she should be sent back and her kids. Come here Legally, apply for asylum with a good reason. OPEN BORDERS will not work for any country.