NEW YORK (NewsNation) — An emergency rally and protest are scheduled outside a New York City high school Wednesday, led by a state assemblyman, parents and students after hundreds of migrants were transferred to the school forcing students to return to remote learning.
On Tuesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the relocation of 1,900 migrants, including 500 migrant families, from the shelter at Floyd Bennett Field to the gymnasium at James Madison High School for safety reasons due to an incoming winter storm. They return to the Brooklyn shelter Wednesday morning.
Concerns were raised about the temporary shelter’s tents not withstanding high winds and heavy rain. Several city leaders argue that Adams’s decision to move the migrants is a misuse of taxpayer money giving prior warning about the shelter’s susceptibility to flooding.
“The health and safety of migrants in our care is always a top priority, which is why we are currently overseeing the relocation of 1,900 guests from the humanitarian emergency response and relief center at Floyd Bennett Field due to an updated forecast with increased wind speeds estimated to be at over 70 mph tonight,” a city spokesperson said in a statement.
Parents of James Madison students received calls and an email Tuesday notifying them of the school’s closure Wednesday to accommodate migrants, with their children assigned to online classes. The announcement sparked frustration among parents and students who said they feel displaced, emphasizing a lack of consideration for the hardships it creates for them.
This comes as the city has started the eviction of migrant families residing in shelters across the city, including the Row Hotel in Manhattan.
These families received notice two months ago, with the city issuing 5,000 eviction notices requiring migrants to seek alternative housing.
New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov called what happened Tuesday night “a perfect example of what not to do.”
“Obviously, parents and residents are concerned about what’s going to happen next, if there’s another flood — we’re in the winter season, so anything could happen anytime,” Vernikov said on “NewsNation Live” Wednesday. “How many more times are they going to evacuate? And where are they going to go? Are they going to keep using schools for this? These are all questions, legitimate questions that parents and residents have residents have.”