Western Reader
In the heart of New York City, a crisis is unfolding.
The city, once a beacon of opportunity, is now grappling with an
unprecedented influx of migrants. The situation reached a boiling point
on Staten Island, where residents have taken to the streets in protest,
demanding a halt to the relentless wave of asylum seekers.
The city’s migrant population has swelled to nearly 60,000, equivalent
to the combined budgets of the city’s sanitation, fire, and parks
departments. This year alone, about 21,000 new migrant children have
enrolled in schools.
Despite this, city officials have stated that less than 2 percent of
these migrants are being housed on Staten Island. However, the reality
on the ground tells a different story.
class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true" >“Get them out! Get them out!”
A sea of New Yorkers waving USA flags chant in unison at a protest
against Eric Adams plan to resettle migrants in Staten Island.
pic.twitter.com/W9tm4JYB37— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres)
September
15, 2023
The city’s response to the crisis has been to convert landmarks into
emergency shelters. Iconic hotels like The Roosevelt, Paul, and
Paramount in Manhattan have been designated for housing migrants.
Yet, the city’s efforts seem to be a drop in the ocean. Industry experts
estimate that as many as 10,000 hotel rooms have been allocated for
migrants, a figure that falls short given the scale of the crisis.
The financial burden of the crisis is staggering. The city is expected
to spend $4.7 billion this year alone on managing the migrant
population. Mayor Eric Adams has warned that the city’s services will
be affected by these additional expenses.
Plans are underway to cut services such as library hours, meals for
senior citizens, and free full-day care for three-year-olds.
Despite the city’s legal obligation to provide shelter to those who make
their way to the metro, the federal government’s response has been
lackluster. While the U.S. Department of Homeland Security dispatched a
small team to assess the situation, the promised $140 million in aid
has yet to materialize.
class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true" >Midland Beach Staten Island NY
keotic scene breaks out after residents block a migrant bus from
dropping off migrants at the nursing home
For licensing email [email protected]
pic.twitter.com/QNzCA1CCr4— Viral News NYC (@ViralNewsNYC)
September
20, 2023
The situation reached a fever pitch when protesters gathered outside a
Staten Island shelter for migrants.
Chants of ‘Take them back, Take them back’ echoed as the crowd tried to
prevent buses carrying asylum seekers from entering the shelter. The
protest resulted in several arrests and highlighted the growing
frustration among residents.
Mayor Adams has denounced the protests, calling it an ‘ugly’ display.
However, his words seem to fall on deaf ears as the city continues to
grapple with the crisis.
Despite his pleas for state and federal assistance, the city has not
received any aid to cover the extra costs. This means that the $4.7
billion needed to manage the crisis will come directly from the city’s
budget.
This article appeared in FreshOffThePress and has been published here with permission.
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