Concepcion Choy of Riverhead is an immigrant from Guatemala who has lived in the United States for 12 years. (Credit: Kelly Zegers)
A social media post early Thursday morning from Aldo’s Coffee in Greenport read: “We are open on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and every other national holiday. Today, we are closed.”
This message was accompanied by a photo of a sign that read “In support of our people and #ADayWithoutImmigrants.”
It began with three sentences.
In a speech announcing his candidacy on June 16, 2015, Donald Trump made a bold promise to strengthen the Mexico-United States border.
The scene at Pindar Vineyards Friday was a little out of the ordinary. Instead of out-of-towners sampling chardonnay and pinot grigio, a health care organization was offering a free clinic in the Peconic tasting room, where bilingual employees took health histories, tested blood pressure, gave nutritional consultations, handed out specialty referrals and scheduled follow-up appointments for about 40 local agricultural workers and their family members.
From time to time, Riverhead Police Officer Byron Perez glances over at the badge on the shoulder of his police uniform. It’s the seal of the Riverhead Town Police Department, the force of the only home Mr. Perez has ever known.
Since he was a child, Mr. Perez dreamed of joining that department. Now 31 years old, he said it’s hard to believe he’s making history as a Riverhead cop. READ
When I set out from Greenport last month for the National Immigrant Integration Conference in Brooklyn, I didn’t know what to expect.