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The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund’s 2020 Census Profiles of New York shows a detailed look into how New York’s Latino population has grown over the last 10 years. According to the study, the Latino population in the state grew over 15% in that time and accounts for 64.5% of the state’s population growth. Latinos make up 19.6% of Staten Island’s overall population. According to Cesar Vargas, a community activist and immigration lawyer who was originally from Mexico, the reason for Latinos’ growth in the borough is individuals are being priced out of real estate throughout the city. Staten Island Advance
The Yonkers Police Department Is Refusing to Help a Stabbing Victim Get a Visa
📍 Documented Original
Sergio and his friends were walking in Yonkers on a September night in 2013 when they encountered a rowdy crowd — and Sergio was stabbed in the eye. According to a police report, Sergio, an undocumented immigrant from Peru, was “laying in a pool of blood” when the police arrived. He wasn’t aware that as a victim of crime, he could apply for a U visa if he cooperated with police. Even so, Sergio faces a huge obstacle if he were to apply as the Yonkers Police Department is refusing to sign his U visa certification, keeping Sergio’s application from advancing. Read more at Documented.
In other local immigration news…
Scams Targeting Latino Immigrants Are Circulating on Social Media. Here’s How You Can Avoid Them
📍 Documented Original (Co-published with Telemundo News)
Xotchitl, a Mexican mother, received a message in a WhatsApp Group chat for her son’s soccer team that caught her attention. The message read, “CHRISTMAS HELP AVAILABLE $800 DOLLARS. Click in the link above your application.” Xotchitl told Documented’s WhatsApp service about the message, which led Documented to team up with Telemundo to investigate the scam. Last December, Documented also reported scams targeting the Spanish-speaking community at the beginning of the pandemic. We uncovered over 25 messages that were asked to “share this help” with 10 friends or relatives to, allegedly, receive an $800 bonus that didn’t exist. One particular scam mocks wording from the Excluded Workers Fund. Read more at Documented.
You can also find the article in Spanish on Documented and Noticias Telemundo.