Thread: Lakewood,NJ: Mex. illegal alien park squatters ousted

http://tritown.gmnews.com/news/2008/082 ... e/003.html

Rev. vows to continue aid to area's homeless
Campsite that housed Mexican nationals removed by county
BY TOYNETT HALL Staff Writer

TOYNETT HALL The Rev. Steve Brigham of the Lakewood Outreach Ministry Church will no longer provide propane tanks to the homeless because of the rising cost of propane. Brigham will offer individuals who are living in the woods around Lakewood a wood-burning stove.
Javier, a day laborer, sits in the blistering heat waiting for night to fall. When the sun sets and the sky turns black, Javier roams the streets with his amigos in search of a place to rest his head.

His struggle to make a better life for himself has become even more challenging since Ocean County officials took apart the campsite in which he was living.

Although the campsite was a long way from his home in Puebla, Mexico, and was put together with tattered scraps of material, it was home.

The site where Javier and other day laborers were living was actually part of the Ocean County Park System in Lakewood.

On July 18, an order signed by a state Superior Court judge allowed Ocean County "to formally remove any persons living illegally in two 'tent sites' on county park property in Lakewood," according to a statement from Ocean County Administrator Alan Avery.

Individuals who were making their home in the woods on the outskirts of Lakewood grew their own crops and built shelters out of discarded lumber and tarps (l). Their campsite was determined to be on Ocean County property and found to be having an impact on the Metedeconk River and was eventually dismantled by county employees.
The campsite for Mexican nationals — many of whom are in the United States illegally — was on the outskirts of Lakewood near the Metedeconk River County Conservation Area that adjoins the Shenandoah County Field Sports Complex.

A Mexican flag that swayed above the entrance to the campsite was gone, along with the residents' tents, clothes, garden and other signs of a community. What remained was an open space and tire marks in the dirt.

According to Avery, "Ocean County has taken these actions based on discussions with Lakewood law enforcement and township officials who had advised the county of criminal activity on the sites, including drug offenses and assaults.

"The living conditions also have caused environmental degradation of the park property and subsequent surrounding land and waterways resulting in threats to public health and safety, including the Metedeconk River, which provides drinking water to more than 100,000 people in Monmouth and Ocean counties," he said.

The Rev. Steve Brigham of the Lakewood Outreach Ministry Church has been providing assistance to homeless individuals in Ocean County for seven years. Brigham relies on private donations to support his efforts.

Brigham called the county's action "manifest greed" and said it is another example of "European aggression to take over land."

The elimination of the campsite caused the Mexican nationals to disperse and according to Brigham, it has made his mission a lot harder.

"The Mexicans made life with what they had. They improvised and made shanties out of leftover lumber. They grew crops and cultivated a garden for food, and they even had chickens. They never before asked me for money. They were totally self-sufficient."

Brigham vowed to build another campsite for the Mexicans once he has enough money to do so. He said although the residents of the campsites were told what was going to happen, they were not offered alternative housing.

County officials said that is not the case.

"Last fall, Ocean County assembled a task force of more than 30 professionals from the Ocean County Department of Human Services, the Ocean County Board of Social Services and the Ocean County Health Department, in addition to members of the clergy, mental health workers and substance abuse rehabilitation counselors," according to information provided by the county.

"Each unsheltered homeless individual was interviewed and encouraged to take advantage of services the county offers. The task force, to date, has been successful in removing about 17 unsheltered homeless individuals from their homeless sites and provided them with shelter in addition to providing them with access to all the other social services the county provides," according to the county.

Brigham said the Mexicans lived simply and did very little to disrupt the environment at their location in Lakewood.

"There was a portable toilet for the campsite right outside on the top of the hill. They did not defecate in the woods. Their plants and crops were not grown with fertilizer and their impact on the site was nothing," he said.

In addition to the elimination of two tent cities, the clergyman's bus was towed by Lakewood. The bus had a couch, bed, washer and dryer, commode, shower, filing cabinets, desk and a curtain that wrapped all the way around for privacy.

On top of the bus in the small window where destinations are posted was a sign that said "God is Love."

According to Brigham, "Three weeks ago I debated Lakewood Mayor Raymond Coles on [radio]. The day after that, the 'God is Love' bus was towed and scrapped. It was parked in a municipal parking lot between First and Second streets. I found out the township had towed my bus. The reason they towed it was because they said the registration was up. I didn't realize the registration was up a couple days earlier … they could have issued a warning."

Coles said, "The bus was unregistered and it caused a hazard in the parking lot. It was not something that was done capriciously. It was treated the same as any other vehicle in that position."

Brigham said he found the bus and was able to salvage the "God is Love" sign and other items. However, he could not take the bus because he had no money. He is now driving a similar bus that was donated by the Methodist Church in Bayville.

On another front, Brigham said he will have to stop supplying people with propane heaters because of the rising cost of the fuel.

"Five years ago, propane was $9 a tank. It just went up (to $12) and now they say it will go up another $2. By this winter it will be $20 for a tank. I can't provide the propane this year, so we will be using wood stoves this winter," Brigham said.

He said the tough economy is hurting donations to the ministry.

At one point a committee was in place to work on short- and long-term issues regarding the homeless population in Lakewood.

Coles said many of the short-term goals — such as helping homeless individuals acquire identification — were met. Progress has been stalled, since the panel has not reconvened.

"The purpose of the committee was to provide a framework to people to work toward a solution … not for everyone to wait for me to set the agenda and turn around to ask, 'Mayor, what's next?' " he said.

Coles said many suggestions that were made by the committee and presented to Brigham were rejected.

"This is something the county needs to deal with. This is not a municipal undertaking," the mayor said. "We are doing what we can with the limited resources we have. There is no department dedicated to this issue. It is under the county's purview."

Coles said the county "can place the homeless temporarily in a hotel room where they can be evaluated and referred for treatment, and assistance with housing. They must admit they have a problem, seek out help, and take advantage of the resources available. You will not find many instances where a municipality will undertake an issue like this."

Brigham said he will press on with his efforts to help people who need assistance. He is seeking donations of blankets, large tents, sleeping bags, tarps, camping stoves, camping lights and, most of all, money.

Coles suggested that advocates for the homeless work together and find people to support their efforts.

"Reverend Brigham and others like him should find people who they trust that have financial backing to form a legitimate nonprofit to raise money to enable Reverend Brigham and advocates like him to provide the services they want," Coles said.

Brigham said that regardless of whether he has the support of others, he plans to continue his life's work, which is to ease the burden of others.

"I can't just stand by and watch people suffer without doing something," he said, explaining that he was inspired by his mother, Nelly Elizabeth Brigham. "She had a tremendous kind heart. She gave in secret and didn't sound a trumpet when she did it. She set the example. I saw that and said that is something I would like to do when I get older … try to ease someone's burden."

Brigham may be reached as 732-364- 0340 or 732-814-5537 or at the Lakewood Outreach Ministry Church, P.O. Box 326, Lakewood, NJ 08701.

This is exactly what needs to happen, when these harborers and assisters are having to pull the money out of their pockets, the unlawful assistance will end. As long as they are bilking the taxpayers out of it, the aiding will continue for as long as we allow it.

Special intersts groups can not afford to assist illegal aliens with private funds and they all know it.

Dixie

Oh I have to puke at this one. As a kid, my parents would take me to Lakewood NJ and Seaside so I could learn to swim.

Brigham will offer individuals who are living in the woods around Lakewood a wood-burning stove.

What is wrong with these people. You don't put wood-burning stoves into the woods, for goodness sake. A wood-burning stove sitting on top of leaves can easily dry out the leaves and set the place on fire. I know the northeast has been hit by a lot of rain, but if there is a drought, are they going to pull the stoves out?

We have friends in Lakewood, ...this illegal alien squatter camp is just about as gross as you can imagine and very dangerous as well...it's a den of thieves, drunks, gangs, drugs and violent offenders...the neighbors can't stand it...this whack-job preacher once parked his "God Van" in the middle of the city and wouldn't move it...

Lakewood is in a very, very bad way.

Doesn't sound much like a preacher by helping laws to be broken.