A Venezuelan migrant told reporters he was enjoying his stay at the “migrant hotel.” That is what he called the McCarren Play Center in New York City. He said it “was great.” This was only days after Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency over the migrant problem.
Miguel Mujica, 39, brought his wife and children to the pool, and “there was no problem,” adding that they swam between 12 and 5 p.m. He said it’s a great pool. “Nobody stops them” from doing anything. They have hot food and snacks.
Mujica and his family entered the United States across the southern border into Texas.
The migrant said he makes around $750 a week, or roughly $40,000 annually— untaxed. He said he works off the books doing demolition and construction.
A section of the leisure facility will be home to about 80 adult asylum seekers. Public use of the pool and the fitness facility, according to officials, will not be affected.
Lawmakers in New York City have appealed for aid as migrants have begun to sleep on the streets in the city’s central business district. Vickie Paladino, a city council member, echoed the mayor’s words and called the current situation of illegal immigrants in New York “out of control.” More than 50,000 people are staying in the city’s shelter system.
In August, Adams said the sanctuary city had “run out of room” for incoming arrivals and proclaimed a “state of emergency” to deal with the problem.
Adams said NYC has to find out how to localize the fact that there is no more room indoors and the next step in their plan. The current situation is that people use cooling trucks as a place to sleep. The sidewalks are crowded with people. The mayor said the “madness must be contained to one area” so they don’t have tent cities sprawled all over the city.
The New York City Shelter and Services Program will receive $104.6 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as was revealed in June by state legislators.
