A New York City councilmember believes what’s “good enough for homeless New Yorkers” is good enough for the thousands of migrants currently at shelters across the Big Apple.
The issue of curfews at migrant shelters was broached by Queens Councilwoman Joann Ariola during a meeting of lawmakers on Thursday after reports of alleged panhandling by those in the temporary housing facilities.
“I asked questions about the possibility of a curfew at migrant shelters. I think a curfew should be set because homeless people [staying in NYC shelters] have curfews,” Ariola told the New York Post.
“If it’s good enough for homeless New Yorkers it’s good enough for migrants,” Ariola added.
The idea is reportedly being considered by Mayor Eric Adams and his administration as the so-called sanctuary city continues to buckle under the influx of illegal immigrants pouring in from the southern U.S. border.
The curfews are “something they were looking into,” according to Molly Schaeffer, the mayor’s director of Asylum Seeker Operations, who noted the plan during the meeting Thursday.
Residents near the tent shelters erected in Floyd Bennett Field have complained about the situation created in housing which has left even the illegal border crossers with concerns over the safety of structures and the isolated location.
“Because of its isolation, nearby residents say migrants have been walking into their residential neighborhoods and begging to get help,” The Post reported.
Paul Sanzone, 52, who has lived in the area for three decades, said that the migrants are coming to his door on a “regular basis,” adding that “It’s alarming.”
“Sanzone and his wife been left ‘on edge’ after two migrants who appeared to be wearing ankle monitors came to their home asking for food,” The Post noted. “A spate of crime at some shelters — including drug dealing, and even a fatal stabbing at the Randall’s Island tent city over the weekend — has also left residents concerned about the situations near them.”
Last month, a Brooklyn resident described the “invasion” of his Marine Park neighborhood.
“I see them sitting outside stores … outside the mall and going around to all the houses in the neighborhood, knocking on the door looking for money,” David Fitzgerald said. “There is definitely a lot of nervousness in the neighborhood, that is for sure.”
“I don’t think they should be at Floyd Bennett Field anyway. It’s not a good living environment for people, certainly for families,” the 62-year-old said. “It’s just not good enough and if there is no room for them to be here, then they should not be here.”
Adding to the chaos, an impending winter storm created an emergency for the Adams administration earlier this week as nearly 2,000 migrants were relocated overnight out of the tents at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn.
Many of these migrants were bused to schools to be used at shelters, thereby disrupting classes for New York City students.
The situation is “something that New York City needs to answer to,” according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre who answered a question about the incident during a press briefing on Wednesday. “That is a process that they took. So they have to answer to that.”
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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