A group of illegal immigrants remain in protest outside the Watson Hotel in New York City, sleeping in the streets for nearly two days to push back against relocation from their taxpayer-funded hotel in Manhattan to a migrant crisis center in Brooklyn.
After entering into the U.S. through the southern border, tens of thousands of migrants were sent to New York City where they were given free housing at luxury hotels, while Mayor Eric Adams prepared a facility to control the influx of migrants pouring into the city.
The city prepared to move migrants, specifically single adult men, from the Watson Hotel in New York City to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal facility, but faced pushback on Sunday night from the individuals who refused to relocate.
The illegal migrants, who were given free rooms at the $300-per-night Hells Kitchen hotel, refused to vacate when asked to leave and were joined by migrant activists to rally outside the building. As of Tuesday morning, the group of migrants was still camped outside the hotel, according to several local news reports.
ILLEGAL MIGRANTS REFUSE TO LEAVE NYC HOTEL FOR BROOKLYN MIGRANT RELIEF CENTER, SLEEP IN THE STREET
The immigrants remained there overnight, sleeping in tents on the sidewalk of the busy city. The NYPD since cleared out the tents that were blocking the sidewalks, however, the migrants remain posted outside the 3.5 star hotel.
Some individuals left the hotel for the migrant crisis center, but returned after claiming the facility was lacking in heat and water.
Mayor Eric Adams of New York immediately responded to the migrant protest, settling claims that the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal did not meet humane conditions.
JESSE WATTERS: MIGRANTS COME SAYING THEY WANT TO WORK, THEN PROTEST WHEN THEY DON’T GET FREE RENT
“I just had to come here when I started hearing all the rumors that it was too cold, my brother got on shorts. It’s warm inside. About the food not being there, healthy food is present,” Adams said in a video posted to Twitter Monday.
The Democratic Mayor also released photos of a cafeteria style food assortment reportedly available to the migrants and Adams is seen playing ping pong at one of the tables in the center.
“This weekend, we began the process of moving single adult men from the Watson Hotel to Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, as we transition the hotel to meet the large number of asylum-seeking families with children,” Adams said in a statement.
“More than 42,000 asylum seekers have arrived in New York City since last spring, and we continue to surpass our moral obligations as we provide asylum seekers with shelter, food, health care, education, and a host of other services,” the mayor continued.
The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center, which will close this spring ahead of cruise season, was opened as housing for single adult men in order to provide more space for migrant families at the Watson Hotel.