Top 10 of 2018: #4 – Pizzeria Owners Threatened With Deportation

Many important stories have been covered by the New Britain Progressive in 2018. It may be difficult to name only a few articles as the top stories of the year, but there are a few the New Britain Progressive would like to share as our Top Ten.  Other Top Ten stories can be found at “Top Ten Stories of 2018.”

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It seemed so alien to many that a soft-spoken couple with a young child who own a pizzeria on Broad Street would be the targets of President Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda. But it was all too real.

New Britain residents Malik Naveed bin Rehman and Zahida Altaf, were United States residents for eighteen years. After years of effort, they were proud to become business owners in New Britain, serving the community at their Pizza Corner restaurant at 36 Broad Street. Yet, they were facing a deportation order.

Then, the New Britain community, joined by others, fought back.

A rally was held outside of City Hall to oppose the deportation order, and the City Council took up a resolution to ask federal authorities to reconsider the deportation. (Rally and City Council Resolution Oppose Deportation of New Britain Family)

That Council resolution, unanimously approved by the Council, said that family is, “being sentenced to deportation because, upon moving to the United States, their lawyer did not work to get them an extended visa and a path to citizenship, despite paying more than $6,500 to the lawyer.” The resolution added that, “the lawyer was sent to jail for fraud.” All fifteen members of the City Council, Democrats and Republicans, also signed a letter calling for the deportation order to be reconsidered. (City Council Unanimously Opposes Deportation of New Britain Family)

When their deportation date came, the family went into sanctuary at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), joined by New Britain Council’s President, Ald. Eva Magnuszewski (D-AL), Ald. Richard Reyes (D-AL) and local activists, held a public event at the Church to support the family. (Sen. Blumenthal Visits New Britain Family Facing Deportation Taking Sanctuary in Old Lyme Church) Blumenthal and Magnuszewski, who were joined by Ald. Richard Reyes (D-AL), Ald. Iris Sanchez (D-3) and Ald. Francisco Santiago (D-5) later held a public event at Pizza Corner to encourage people to buy from the family’s restaurant while they were in sanctuary in Old Lyme. (Sen. Blumenthal, City Council Members Support Business of Family in Sanctuary from Deportation)

Seven months later, with the immediate threat of deportation removed, the couple returned to New Britain. Blumenthal led a festive celebration Pizza Corner with the family, Lieutenant Governor-elect Susan Bysiewicz (D-CT), State Senator Terry Gerratana (D-6), Magnuszewski, other dignitaries and numerous city residents. (Pizzeria Owners Return from Sanctuary)

This family, who have worked hard for their American dream, are far from the only facing deportation by federal policies that have hit hard in communities like New Britain. They are certainly not the only New Britain residents to have faced this. And, many, many times, there is no happy ending to the story.

But, as Magnuszewski, who is the daughter of Polish immigrants, said when the City Council resolution was being considered, “People may ask why we did this,” as it is a federal issue. To that, she answered, “The question I always ask is, would I want someone to speak up for my family or friends if we were in this situation and the answer is a resounding yes.”

This story, part of a large and, unfortunately, ongoing issue, was certainly one of the Top Ten stories covered in the New Britain Progressive in 2018.

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Rally and City Council Resolution Oppose Deportation of New Britain Family

March 15, 2018

A rally was held outside of City Hall to oppose the deportation of a New Britain family who are owners of the Pizza Corner restaurant on Broad Street.

The rally was held amidst the late winter snow on March 14, 2018.

At the City Council meeting later that evening, Ald. Brian Keith Albert (D-2) and Ald. Katie Breslin (D-AL) introduced a resolution, saying that, “Malik Naveed Bin Rehman and Zahida Altaf are a married couple from Pakistan who currently reside in New Britain,” and that, “they are being sentenced to deportation because, upon moving to the United States, their lawyer did not work to get them an extended visa and a path to citizenship, despite paying more than $6,500 to the lawyer.” The resolution added that, “the lawyer was sent to jail for fraud.”

The resolution says that the, “family pays taxes, have no criminal record, and own Pizza Corner on Broad Street in New Britain,” and, ” they have a five year old daughter who is a citizen of the United States of America, Roniya Malik,” yet, “they are scheduled for deportation on March 19, 2018.”

Malik Naveed bin Rehman and Zahida Altaf, with their daughter, Roniya.

Bringing applause, the Council approved the resolution, saying that the, “Common Council of the City of New Britain support Malik Naveed bin Rehman and Zahida Alta to stay because they are good-standing citizens of New Britain and help our City.”

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Sen. Blumenthal, City Council Members Support Business of Family in Sanctuary from Deportation

March 31, 2018

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ald. Eva Magnuszewski (D-AL), the New Britain City Council’s President Pro-Tempore, and other members of the Council gathered with other community members to encourage people to buy from the business of a New Britain family facing deportation who have been given sanctuary at an Old Lyme church.

On March 30, 2018, Blumenthal and Magnuszewski, who were joined by Ald. Richard Reyes (D-AL), Ald. Iris Sanchez (D-3) and Ald. Francisco Santiago (D-5), shared words of encouragement for family members of Malik Naveed bin Rehman and Zahida Altaf.

Blumenthal shared pizza and said that he hoped others will continue to buy pizza from Pizza Corner, at 36 Broad Street, which is at the corner of Broad and Washington streets, to keep their local business going while the couple are in sanctuary.

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Pizza Owners Return from Sanctuary

October 21, 2018

It was a New Britain community celebration as the city residents who own the Pizza Corner restaurant returned from the church sanctuary they had taken while they faced deportation.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) led a festive celebration on October 18th at Pizza Corner with the family, Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidate Susan Bysiewicz, State Senator Terry Gerratana (D-6), Council President Ald. Eva Magnuszewski (D-AL), other dignitaries and numerous city residents.

There had already been an outpouring of support for Malik Naveed bin Rehman and Zahida Altaf, as a rally was held to oppose their deportation in March of 2018.

The couple have been United States residents for eighteen years. After years of effort they were proud to become business owners in New Britain, serving the community pizza at their prominent location at 36 Broad Street.

Also in March, the City Council unanimously approved a resolution opposing the deportation, and all fifteen members of the Council signed a letter asking that their deportation be reconsidered.

The Council resolution said that the family is, “being sentenced to deportation because, upon moving to the United States, their lawyer did not work to get them an extended visa and a path to citizenship, despite paying more than $6,500 to the lawyer.” The resolution added that, “the lawyer was sent to jail for fraud.”

At that time, Ald. Magnuszewski said, “This beautiful family lives in our city. They have a business in our city; they have a beautiful little girl who was born here. They took the right steps to become citizens and they all deserve to stay in our country.”

After the couple went into sanctuary at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme because of a March 19, 2018 Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation order, Sen. Blumenthal, Ald. Magnuszewski and other members of the Council gathered with other community members to encourage people to continue to buy from the family’s business.