"But a Samaritan while traveling came near [the beaten Jewish man]; and when he saw him, he was moved.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  Go and do likewise."  

– Luke 10: 33-34, 37 NRSVCE

We, the undersigned alums and friends of Saint Joseph Hill Academy High School, stand in solidarity with the migrants and asylum seekers currently housed at the vacant former Saint John Villa Academy and throughout the city who merely seek stability, safety, and a life free from violence – a right to which every human being is entitled.

As students at Hill, we were always encouraged to be stewards to our community. Over the years, we have volunteered countless hours of our time assisting students at the Seton Foundation on Hill’s campus; raising funds for the Special Olympics, Friends of Staten Island (FOSI), and other local causes; and providing dinner at a local shelter for people experiencing  unhousedness through Project Hospitality. Stewardship by way of community engagement was not just a virtue but a mandate for Hill students and a mandate we took on with joy, as evident by being fondly called "Hill's Angels." The present humanitarian crisis unfolding in our city is no different from the many other causes we have dedicated our time and effort to as Hill students and alums. Rather than rejecting the migrants and asylum seekers currently being housed at the shelter – as protestors outside the shelter have cried “go home” – we urge Saint Joseph Hill Academy’s leadership and administration to revisit the school’s commitment to “service,” explore ways to help migrants and asylum seekers in their moment of need, and ensure these individuals and families are welcomed and supported in our community.

We also condemn the protests against the placement of a shelter for migrants and asylum seekers inside the former Saint John Villa Academy. Much of the rhetoric of these protests has centered on a defense of Hill students’ safety. We see through this narrative of defending children’s safety for what it really is – thinly veiled racism and xenophobia. We will not allow Hill students’ safety and wellbeing to be weaponized in service of this racist, anti-migrant narrative, which is directly counter to the values of care, community stewardship, and compassionate leadership that we were taught to uphold as Hill students. 

Furthermore, with students returning to campus for the new school year in the coming days, continued protests pose a serious threat to students’ safety. In the past, we have seen that protests conceived by the same organizers and associated actors – such as the 2020 demonstrations outside of Mac’s Public House against COVID-related restrictions – have attracted the likes of the Proud Boys and other violent, white nationalist extremists. The undersigned alums have serious concerns that similar actors could become involved in these protests, given the tone of the demonstrations and actors already involved. We believe it is imperative that the school administration and leadership take action to protect students from dangerous extremists and those who share their sentiments.

We hereby call upon:

• Saint Joseph Hill Academy administration to denounce the protests against the migrant shelter, take action to protect its students from extremist rhetoric and violence, and explore ways to support migrants and asylum seekers in our community through compassionate stewardship and volunteer actions.
• The New York City Mayor’s Office and City Hall to establish a liaison to communicate with the Saint Joseph Hill Academy administration and community about the shelter and put in place a plan to address any legitimate community safety concerns about the shelter and ensure student safety in the context of ongoing anti-migrant protests.
• Staten Island Community Board 2, whose jurisdiction includes the Arrochar neighborhood, to pass a resolution mandating that the city establish a liaison to respond to any reasonable concerns with the placement of the migrant shelter and coordinate with Saint Joseph Hill Academy leadership on a plan, as requested by the school administration.
• The Archdiocese of New York to denounce the hateful rhetoric that is counter to supposed Catholic values and call upon the City of New York to communicate and work with Saint Joseph Hill Academy to establish a plan for the shelter and student safety.

As the confident, independent thinkers we were educated to be, and in keeping with Christian values, we leave you with this:  Jesus Christ was born into a world in which His life was immediately endangered. As a mere baby, He and Mary migrated from their homeland to another country because Saint Joseph had heard God's calling to "get up, take the Child and His Mother, and flee to Egypt" (Matthew 2: 13 NRSVCE). By the guidance of God, Saint Joseph did what he must to ensure stability, safety, and life free from violence for his beloved family – the Holy Family – as the families and individuals seeking a better life in this country are doing today. As alums of a school bearing Saint Joseph’s name, we call for respect, dignity, and protection to be accorded to these families, just as his own.

Special thanks to Alesha Borbo Kilayko for contributions to drafting this petition.