A hearing held earlier this week in New York by the Council’s immigration and hospital committees saw black migrants who have arrived in the city airing their grievances about public services they have been provided, including food and accommodation, with one woman even complaining that New Yorkers won’t learn Congolese languages.
The hearing drew over a thousand immigrants, mostly from countries in Africa, and many illegally in the country, with some claiming that they had been promised money, green cards or work visas if they attended.
Over 1,000 African migrants swarm NYC’s City Hall over supposed falsely promised green cards https://t.co/EnOA6ETrWJ
— New York Post (@nypost) April 16, 2024
While only 250 of them were allowed inside, the rest congregated outside in a park protesting.
Over 1,000 African migrants swarm NYC’s City Hall over supposed falsely promised green cards
— blue pill red pill your choice (@andred928) April 16, 2024
The crowd was mostly made up of new arrivals from Guinea, in West Africa, and were apparently drawn to City Hall by an activist group.— Article pic.twitter.com/h2LwjXyLGQ
The hearing was touted in a press release as aimed at African migrants in shelters to “understand how the [Adams] Administration is addressing language access barriers, cultural competency challenges, health needs, and other roadblocks.”
At one point during the hearing, which lasted for over SIX HOURS, the conversation turned to language services offered by the state, with some migrants complaining that Spanish and English speakers are given priority, and African immigrants are unfairly excluded.
It was then pointed out that many immigrants are illiterate and can only speak their native language and further suggested that New Yorkers “refuse to accommodate” by not learning those languages.
There are 3,000 languages spoken across Africa, with many having hundreds of different dialects.
Migrants in NYC complain that people who live there and provide them with free services are not willing to learn hundreds of different African languages. They go on to call NYC "racist" and "shameful." Full report: https://t.co/rIRTpbL3IZ pic.twitter.com/1hFQXga0HK
— m o d e r n i t y (@ModernityNews) April 18, 2024
At another point in the hearing migrants began complaining about the free food and housing they have been provided, saying it isn’t good enough.
They described the situation as “unacceptable,” and “shameful,” and even calling New York City “Anti-African, racist and Xeonophobic,” charging that the council is “responsible for this pain and suffering” that will affect migrants “for generations to come.”
"This is shameful time for NYC. IT IS ANTI-AFRICAN AND XENOPHOBIC!"
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) April 17, 2024
Another migrant complains about the free accommodations provided to black illegal immigrants in NYC: pic.twitter.com/OVNlvBCFGf
At another point in the hearing, City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino challenged the complaints, noting “I’ve been listening to everybody speak and making demands on New York City to do MORE MORE MORE.”
“How much more are we supposed to do?” she urged, adding “this system is so overworked and overburdened. We don’t have the resources.”
NY City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino responds to migrants complaining about the free food, housing and other services provided to them. "What motivated you to come here thinking the streets are paved in gold? They are not." Full report here: https://t.co/rIRTpbL3IZ pic.twitter.com/rF0KGMtB7B
— m o d e r n i t y (@ModernityNews) April 18, 2024
“I have to ask you all, what motivated you to come here thinking the streets are paved in gold? They are not,” Paladino continued adding “people have come across the border illegally,” before other council members interrupted her and demanded she ask a pertinent question.
Here is the full exchange, with Paladino’s comments:
I sat on the New York City Council Committee on Hospitals jointly with the Committee on Immigration to discuss the experience of black migrants in New York City.
— Councilwoman Vickie Paladino (@CMvpaladino) April 17, 2024
It truly pains me to hear the experiences these people are going through, I am extremely sympathetic to their… pic.twitter.com/4MzJIerSCL
Mayor Eric Adams responded to the protests and complaints, stating that it is the Federal government’s responsibility to “finish the job they started.”
“As we have said repeatedly, the federal government needs to finish the job they started by providing an immediate pathway to work for the tens of thousands of migrants they let into this country,” Adam’s office stated.
It added that “We are exceptionally proud of the dignity and respect we’ve been able to provide these migrants, as well as everyone else in our care, but, make no mistake, New York City should have never been left largely on its own to manage this national humanitarian crisis.”
Eric Adams' office hits back at 1,000 African migrants who descended on City Hall in protest, claiming NYC does enough for them https://t.co/SQi1J5cSJk pic.twitter.com/pqDyvHtTPB
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) April 17, 2024
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