In this episode, I chat with a colleague, who is a child of immigrants and a first-generation New Yorker, that has worked in public service over the last decade, supporting Dreamers, working in education, and in immigrant services, about the migrant crisis here in New York City. We explore what it's like to be an immigrant (it's not an experience that we all know intimately or firsthand), and discuss the unique state that we are in with receiving and supporting the transition of the latest waves of immigrants arriving into our internationally known melting pot. We touch on some history, with the hopes of understanding how a place like New York City, which has been an entry point and foundation for immigrant communities for centuries, has come to be in a state of crisis and unable to welcome, accommodate, or integrate those who are now arriving.
Take a listen and reach out with your ideas and feedback...
As promised during the episode, here are some links to articles and resources that I came across in case you would like to take a read or listen to do more advocacy around this issue.
Learn more about the history of immigrants in NYC, thanks to this amazing CUNY site: https://historynyc.commons.gc.cuny.edu/immigrant-nyc/#:~:text=It%20begins%20with%20the%20early,fabric%20of%20New%20York%20society. Here are some organizations you can support if you’d like to support groups that are on the front lines helping new arrivals: https://documentedny.com/2023/03/01/asylum-seekers-migrants-volunteer-donate-help-nyc/ Concerned about how this is playing out, and want to share your feedback for these migrants, and how it affects your community? Here are some people you can contact to express your concerns and spread the word: Find your Representatives that represent you at the local, state, and federal levels: https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/addr/ Want to understand more about Title 42? You can read more about the policy here:
https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-border-title-42-mexico-asylum-be4e0b15b27adb9bede87b9bbefb798d
Here are some other articles I came across in my research that speak to the experience here, and along the border.
NYC’s Migrant Crisis Reaches Breaking Point in Midtown Manhattan - Bloomberg
How Gov. Greg Abbott Texas-Sized a Crisis for NYC Mayor Eric Adams - THE CITY
New York needs pro-immigrant policies to bolster its economy - Fwd.us
What to Know About Migrants Coming to NYC From the Border - The New York Times
NYC migrant crisis: Number of asylum seekers in city shelters reaches milestone – NBC New York
Hostility against migrants is rising upstate where NYC is sending asylum seekers : NPR
As Politicians Cry ‘Crisis,’ Some Migrants Are Finding Their Way - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/01/nyregion/nyc-migrants-homelessness.html