The asylum seeker shelter at the Brooklyn cruise terminal has generated a lot of headlines in recent days. For this reason, a group of elected officials decided to tour the facilities this Wednesday to get a closer look at the situation.
“There’s no Privacity. Right now there are almost a thousand people living one on top of the other…it has to get better,” said Antonio Reynoso, Brooklyn Borough President.
“But the experience they have in there is a variety of how people feel. Some are happy to be there, others have concerns,” Reynoso added.
The city began transferring single men from the Watson Hotel to this shelter over the weekend.
But immediately there were reports of poor conditions at the shelter, as well as complaints from some of them about how far it is from Manhattan.
We spoke with a man who was transferred, who asked us not to divulge his identity.
“In El Watson they lived with two people in a room. Sleeping comfort was much, much better,” she said.
Hostel.
The immigrant is 41 years old and is from Venezuela. He came alone, leaving his son with his mother. And although he acknowledges that the hotel was more comfortable, he explains that here they are receiving the basics of what they need.
“The kindness is good, the food is so good, this is the only thing as I told you, the small detail, the coexistence, that we are all there,” he added.
After the tour, officials confirmed that the shelter is heated, has some storage and is safe, with some security guards on site in case of any incidents, which they say there have not been so far.
However, Brooklyn Councilwoman Alexa Aviles believes that more can be done.
“We are going to work to ensure that the conditions are as dignified as possible,” said the councilor.
“That is what we need, a helping hand regarding that to work. These people who are here complain because they really don’t have a job,” added the immigrant.
Elected officials also want to make sure that asylum seekers are placed somewhere, where they don’t have to be moved, so they have stability.
