NEW YORK, October 4 (Xinhua) – New York City, the most populous city in the United States, will relocate an emergency response and humanitarian response center for asylum seekers even before opening, due to a series of criticisms and protests from both sides of the political spectrum.
The service center under construction in the Bronx’s Orchard Beach parking lot will be moved to Randall Island in Manhattan, according to a statement by New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Monday evening.
The Orchard Beach assistance center was to be the first of several centers designed to cope with the influx of migrants arriving from Texas and other border states.
“The new location is less prone to flooding and closer to public transport. It will provide temporary respite for 500 asylum seekers,” Adams said.
Mr. Adams announced on September 22 the construction of the transitional aid center for migrants in the Orchard Beach parking lot. The center was originally designed to accommodate up to 1,000 people and provide them with accommodation, food, medical care and support services.
However, the decision to build the center on the Orchard Beach site was criticized for the lack of consultation with the local community, the vulnerability of the future center to the risk of flooding and the lack of support mechanisms for migrants.
In recent days, demonstrations have been organized outside the town hall and at the center site. On September 30, the New York City Council also called for an audit of the status of the resources and services available to recently arrived asylum seekers.
Despite the additional information obtained from the September 22 announcement, many concerns and questions remain unanswered, including the role, location and suitability of these care centers, according to City Council President Adrienne Adams.
“The Orchard Beach site is in a flood zone during the hurricane season. It is very exposed during the cold season, is located in a rest area and was built by a contractor who erected the xenophobic border wall of (Donald) Trump, “said Shahana Hanif, council member and chairman of the city council’s immigration commission.
New York City has welcomed more than 16,000 asylum seekers in recent months, more than 2,700 of which have been taken by bus from Texas. end
