Nearly 2,000 illegal immigrants housed at a shelter in Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field are being evacuated due to an approaching storm on the East Coast, NBC New York reported.
The New York City Councilmember Inna Vernikov criticized the move, citing the vulnerability of Floyd Bennett Field to adverse weather conditions and asserting that it was foreseeable.
First group of migrants from Floyd Bennett field arrive at James Madison High School. Madison is a scan school where students get scanned upon entrance, but the migrants got to bypass that as per the NYPD. A lot of law enforcement and other agency resources have been poured into… pic.twitter.com/52kWetWRxA
— Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (@InnaVernikov) January 9, 2024
The evacuees are being relocated to James Madison High School as a precautionary measure to ensure their safety.
City Hall spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak emphasized that the relocation is a proactive step taken out of caution, aiming to safeguard the well-being of those at the center.
“To be clear, this relocation is a proactive measure being taken out of an abundance of caution to ensure the safety and wellbeing of individuals working and living at the center,” she said.
“The families are already in the process of being temporarily relocated and will continue to be provided with essential services and support,” Mamelak added. “The relocation will continue until any weather conditions that may arise have stabilized and the facility is once again fit for living.”
BREAKING: School buses are dropping off illegal migrants at Madison High School in Brooklyn.
The school is closing tomorrow & all 2k students will be doing class virtually to accommodate the illegals.pic.twitter.com/SwMwkWnDbG
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 9, 2024
The families are being temporarily relocated and will receive essential services and support until weather conditions stabilize, and the facility becomes suitable for habitation again.
In a press release, Vernikov expressed dissatisfaction with using public schools for emergency housing, stating that they were intended for learning and growth, not as shelters. She revealed that James Madison High School’s gymnasium and auditorium would be utilized overnight for the relocated immigrants.
⚠️ We warned you! As predicted, Floyd Bennett Field is not a sustainable shelter facility! James Madison High School is becoming a migrant shelter over night. 1900 migrants are being transferred to this public school to spend the night there to evade the storm. @NYCMayor this is… pic.twitter.com/SxUfflcpeF
— Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (@InnaVernikov) January 9, 2024
Students at James Madison High School were dismissed early on Tuesday, and Wednesday’s classes