On Tuesday morning, about 1,300 African immigrants gathered in front of City Hall in hopes of appearing at a public hearing on the Black experience in the city’s shelter system. Some said they were promised work visas or green cards if they presented them.
Only 250 people were allowed into the 10 a.m. hearing, leaving hundreds of others who had gathered downtown stranded in an outdoor park, where footage showed them singing and cheering. It was reflected.
The crowd, mostly new arrivals from Guinea in West Africa, were apparently drawn to City Hall by activist groups, officials told the Post.
Dozens of immigrants said they were told by others in the community that they could get work visas or green cards if they came to work.
The City Council’s Immigration Committee and Hospitals Committee will hold a joint public hearing on the experiences of African immigrants in shelters to “understand how African immigrants live in shelters.” The purpose was [Adams] “The administration is addressing language access barriers, cultural competency challenges, health needs, and other obstacles faced by new arrivals,” the press release said.
Prior to the testimony portion, committee members heard from activists whose work focuses on providing services to African immigrants, the release added.
