New York City officials announced this week that they are reducing the size of the migrant population at the shelter on Randall’s Island due to concerns over the amount of people taking refuge in the area.
According to The New York Times, about 3,000 migrants are currently being sheltered by the city on Randall’s Island in a large tent dormitory, with dozens more sleeping in tents and under tarps outside the structure. The camp was set up after New York City Mayor Eric Adams began to crack down on how long migrants can stay in city shelters.
Many migrants were forced to pack up their belongings and leave on Monday, with police officers and city employees moving in afterward to collect anything left behind. In addition, the Department of Homeless Services offered to drive migrants to centers where they could apply to enter the shelter system. In total, the city hopes to move about 800 migrants from Randall’s Island according to the New York Post,
A spokesperson for City Hall said in a statement: “These operations will help improve the quality of life of all New Yorkers who use the public space, particularly those who remain in our care nearby.”
The spokeswoman, Liz Garcia, added that “encampments are not safe or secure for migrants, longtime unhoused New Yorkers, or anyone else in our city.”
The Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless blasted the move in a joint statement to the Times.
