A large group of New Yorkers recently convened in Queens to protest the opening of a shelter that will likely house close to 1,000 illegal immigrant men near an elementary school and senior center.
According to the Daily Wire, the protesters held signs reading “no tent city,” directly opposing the move by state officials o shelter illegal immigrants in the new shelter while hotels and homeless shelters in the city are being overpopulated with thousands of migrants who illegally entered the U.S.
Fox 5 reported that the tent city, which was approved by state leaders, was recently opened after being set up in 10 days. The shelter is in the parking lot of a psychiatric facility in Queens.
Several protesters were arrested during the protests, including former GOP mayoral candidate Curtis Silwa, who reportedly refused to follow police orders demanding he move away from the street where he and others were blocking traffic, as reported by the New York Post.
#happeningnow across the street from the Creedmoor Center in Queens, NY, where 1000 male migrants will be housed.
Outraged Residents gather to show their frustration. They chant " NO TENT CITY "
🎥 by @LeeroyPress
For licensing email [email protected] pic.twitter.com/3PHmGE75eE— Viral News NYC (@ViralNewsNYC) August 16, 2023
While New York City struggles with a migrant crisis, officials have said they are debating whether to place the illegal immigrants in tents in Central Park.
The city’s deputy mayor for Health and Human Services, Anne Williams-Isom, said “everything is on the table” during a recent press conference regarding the housing of migrants in city parks, as reported by the Daily Wire.
“We are constantly looking at sites to see how we can accommodate people, but we need support and we think that the system is at a breaking point,” Williams-Isom said.
Since April 2022, nearly 100,000 illegal immigrants have flooded the streets of New York City. In July, approximately 55,000 were being sheltered on the city’s money, which, of course, is given provided by taxpayers. The city is now housing over 105,800 individuals, including those who are homeless.
The issue comes as New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) fight against each other concerning the state’s migrant issue. Adams has slammed the federal government for its inaction during the situation, while Hochul’s administration slammed the mayor for failing to follow through in his requests.
