(StraightNews.org) – More than 1,000 African immigrants gathered outside New York City Hall after hearing that green cards were available. Inside the hall, New York officials had organized a hearing on the experiences of immigrants in the city’s homeless shelters. However, rumors spread that green cards would be distributed at the event, prompting 1,300 migrants to show up.
Amadou Sara Bah, from Guinea, told the New York Post that many African migrants believed they would obtain official permission to live and work in the US. Bah confirmed he would not have turned up otherwise, adding that he had applied for a work permit months earlier.
Dial Lochitlio, also from Guinea, said that “elders” in his community told him to attend, but he waited for hours, growing increasingly frustrated.
The City Council’s Committee of Immigration and Committee on Hospitals convened the joint meeting on April 16 to examine how Mayor Eric Adams is addressing challenges faced by newly arrived migrants, including cultural and language barriers and health requirements. The meeting concluded that Spanish and English speakers are prioritized in the Big Apple, isolating speakers of other languages.
Manuel Castro, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office on Immigrant Affairs, told the Council that the federal government should take responsibility and provide more resources. He also noted that there are around 3,000 languages spoken across the African continent.
Some officials say that New York is guilty of “anti-blackness,” which must be “uprooted.” City Council member Alexa Avilés, who helped organize the event, said the city’s systems are “plagued” by anti-black prejudice, and this must be overturned with dedication, creativity, and funding.
Office of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander agreed with Avilés, tweeting that black migrants are disproportionately harmed by “every aspect” of America’s immigration system. “We need equity and anti-racism in everything we do,” Lander said.
Conservatives, including Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk and Kansas Republican Senator Roger Marshall, denounced the event. Senator Marshall said it was a stamp of approval for the “invasion” of America.
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