Raphael and Ngongo Joseph have been refugees for more than 20 years, but they are thinking that Oneonta will be their home for the foreseeable future. I traveled to the small, upstate college town this week to write about their journey in The Wall Street Journal.
The couple arrived this summer from Central Africa, displaced by ethnic conflict and back to back civil wars in Burundi and the Congo. Their new home is an upstairs apartment near the Susquehanna River, where they said people have been friendly.
(Photo by Cindy Schultz for The Wall Street Journal)
Joseph and Ngongo’s settlement is an early test of a new federal program called Welcome Corps under which grass-roots groups are able to sponsor the resettlement of refugees. It, by extension, could lead to a more dispersed refugee resettlement effort that could change the character of small—and sometimes shrinking—communities like Oneonta.
But they are arriving at a time and in a region where immigration has become controversial. More than 140,000 migrants have come to New York City in the past 18 months, overwhelming its shelter system and prompting officials to begin busing asylum seekers to hotels in upstate communities, often over the objection of local officials.
More than 80% of New York state voters surveyed this month said the influx of migrants is a serious problem. The poll by the Siena College Research Institute found 64% of respondents said the state has already done enough and should slow the flow of new migrants, compared with 29% who said newcomers should be assimilated.
Newcomers are often painted with a broad brush, officials said, though they arrive through very different streams. The refugee-admissions program is a highly regulated system under which refugees living at camps across the globe can be nominated to come to the U.S., though they must undergo years of security and medical vetting before being allowed to move. It is entirely separate from the asylum system, which handles people after they have made it onto U.S. soil.
“We need them as much as they need us,” said Mark Wolff, a French language professor who has assisted the couple. “If you talk about immigration in the abstract, it can be scary. But when you meet people like Ngongo and Joseph you just want to help them.”
The couple said they are still exploring their new community, and have made trips to Utica and Albany to shop for African groceries. They are learning English and trying different churches. They celebrated Thanksgiving at the home of one of the steering committee members, and are waiting anxiously for another new facet of upstate New York life.
“I’ve never seen snow,” Ngongo said.
“The cold right now is really bad,” agreed Joseph, looking out the window to an overcast day with temperatures hovering just above freezing. “We never get this snow or this cold. Africa always is too hot.”
HAPPY THANKSGIVING: I hope you had a restful holiday with friends and family, maybe some parade watching and possibly some awkward time with that stray relative. (There’s always one …) I’m thankful for everyone who takes the time to read this and write little notes, whether it’s with an answer to the trivia question, an update on your life or just a quick hello.
THE QUESTION: Oneonta is less-known than nearby Cooperstown. What is that city famous for?
Have an answer? Drop me a line at jimmy.vielkind@gmail.com. Or just write with thoughts, feedback or to say hi.
THE LAST ANSWER: Eric Adams was a co-founder of the group, 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care.