Dozens of illegal immigrants of military age were found sleeping in a basement in Queens by city investigators who entered the building for an unrelated incident.
The basement, which was used as a shelter for illegal immigrants, was reportedly so small that all the migrants (mainly from Senegal) had to sleep in shifts to get some rest. new york post report.
More than 80 migrants, most of them Senegalese, were found taking turns sleeping in a cramped basement in New York City. https://t.co/MuE5EfXW7i pic.twitter.com/BxarEbsfZB
— New York Post (@nypost) February 27, 2024
The underground residence is discovered Investigators with the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) responded to a report from a witness who said they saw a large number of e-bike batteries improperly stored on the property at 132 Liberty Avenue in South Richmond Hill. It happened when I entered a furniture store in Queens on 02.
The FDNY called city authorities after discovering a large number of illegal immigrants in the store’s basement.
After investigating, the NYPD and the city’s Department of Buildings determined that more than 74 immigrants were living in the store’s basement.
87 migrants found living in Queens basement and moved to Bronx migrant shelter
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The building’s owner, Ebou Saar, 47, told PIX11 News on Tuesday that he charges migrants $300 a month to live in the building. He said most of the immigrants come from Senegal. pic.twitter.com/YTVcGMfnq9— Viral News NYC (@ViralNewsNYC) February 27, 2024
“Further investigation revealed that up to 80 people were sleeping in shifts due to limited space available,” the FDNY said in a statement.
Police officers and officials from the city’s Department of Buildings found 14 bunk beds on the ground floor of the building, and 13 more in the basement space, which had no ventilation and no exit. It was too small, had no natural light, and had illegal plumbing installed.
Under questioning, the store’s owner, Ebou Saar, 47, admitted to charging illegal immigrants $300 a month for beds. But he also argued that the $300 charge was a “donation” and that immigrants often only took what they could afford.
Searle, also from Senegal, characterizes his illegal protection work as charity work, saying, “They don’t even have relatives here, they don’t have anywhere to go, they sleep on trains and on the streets. We need to intervene.”
“I’m helping them,” Searle added. “I give them a place to stay. Some of the people who heard me didn’t even go to the shelter. They were coming straight to me.”
Ebu Saar, owner of the basement where more than 80 migrants are illegally kept, speaks out. He also has another base with 60 immigrants. He said it was their choice and they chose to be here rather than in a shelter. pic.twitter.com/kahGRoEDAU
— Justice_Queen ⚖️ ὓ (@RE_MarketWatch) February 29, 2024
Malik Ndiaye, one of the migrants staying at the store, praised Mr. Searle.
“There are no problems here,” Ndiayi said. “At the shelter, you have to go back to Manhattan every month… and they send you to another location. This takes time, 10 days, 20 days.”
Sarr also claimed he was unaware that he needed a city permit to operate a flop house.
However, Searle was also arrested in January for illegally flopping. post Said In another report.
New York City police also encountered Sarr while investigating an illegal asylum inside the chained-up former Fordham Library in the Bronx.
Searle told police he also ran the shelter.
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