Approximately 200 immigrants are being housed in New York City within an old postal warehouse located on John F. Kennedy International Airport property, which has been repurposed as the city’s newest temporary shelter.
For many migrants, the location of the shelter, set up amidst the city’s latest wave of immigration, came as a surprise.
The city’s authorities relocated these migrants to the warehouse after their brief stays in overcrowded hotels. Despite the city’s struggle to accommodate the influx of newcomers, many of whom are without local sponsors or contacts, the migrants appreciate the warehouse’s cheerful atmosphere, food, and showers.
Since the spring of last year, the city has seen an influx of over 73,000 migrants. Currently, around 42,000 migrants are still under the city’s provision.
However, as the city strives to address this humanitarian crisis, identified as such by Mayor Eric Adams, amidst an already strained shelter system, the JFK warehouse shelter has ignited controversy. Critics, primarily Republicans, argue that the facility might jeopardize airport security, indicative of the perceived failure of the Biden administration’s border policies.
GOP Representative Anthony D’Esposito from New York’s 4th Congressional District, along with other Republican representatives, has openly criticized the plan. D’Esposito even wrote a letter to the heads of the Federal Aviation Administration, expressing his condemnation of the move. He said, “The recent decision by the FAA and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to house illegal migrants at JFK Airport poses both a security threat to one of America’s largest transportation hubs and represents the palpable failure of the Biden Administration’s disastrous border policies.”
Amidst the political tumult, the migrants’ concerns revolve around daily survival and adjusting to life in America’s most populous city. Despite the challenges, they have expressed gratitude for the assistance received and hope for their future in the United States.
The JFK warehouse, formerly an overflow facility for the United States Postal Service, was prepared to accommodate as many as 1,000 adult asylum-seekers. Last week, the property, known as Building 197, was outfitted with 500 cots and trailers with showers and bathrooms.
