Thousands protest NYC plan to house migrants in tent city in Queens

QUEENS - Every day the city heats another degree toward its boiling point —as tempers flared In Queens Village Tuesday over Mayor Adams' latest move to house migrants in a tent city at the site of Creedmoor State Hospital.

A rally drew thousands of angry protesters in opposition to the plan, with signs reading "No Tent City" and "Americans Over Migrants."

"This whole thing is only gonna snowball because the schools are going to open in about 2 weeks, and we’re totally unprepared to handle that," one of the protest organizers told FOX 5.

"If you look behind us there’s a park. There’s a YMCA there. We have a charter school behind a preschool on the side," said one mom protesting.

Neighbors expressed concerns for students as well as the elderly nearby.

"We have a Snap center. Snap Center gets funded by how many individuals they serve. The senior citizens are going to be intimated and afraid of the individuals walking around here," Bob Frederick shared.

"I’m here because this is outrageous. They have put non-Americans before Americans. We need to take care of America first," added Bernard Chow.

The protesters made their way across the street to where construction on the tent city has already begun. The facility is expected to house 1000 single male migrants.

"It’s a Washington issue. We can’t deal with this in all the boroughs," shared Curtis Slyia, former NYC candidate for mayor.

On the other side of the protest, a smaller group with a different point of view also got their message across.

"It’s really sad to see us blaming vulnerable people who have risked their lives for a better future for their situation as opposed to holding accountable people in power," said a demonstrator chanting in support of housing migrants.

A spokesperson with City Hall shared this statement in response to the protest:

"With nearly 100,000 asylum seekers that have come through our intake system since spring 2022 and hundreds more daily, New York City has been left largely alone to deal with a national crisis that demands difficult and swift decision-making. We are constantly searching for new places to give asylum seekers a place to rest their heads, and the state recently located a site for a new humanitarian relief center in the parking lot adjacent to Creedmoor Psychiatric Center. We understand community concerns and want to assure them we and the state are working to ensure that the site is well-managed and that any potential disruptions are minimized. While New York City is leading the nation in welcoming asylum seekers, make no mistake, we cannot continue to do this alone. This crisis demands a broader national solution."