Progressive NY congressman says work permits for migrants are 'a good idea'

A progressive Democrat congressman says he agrees with Mayor Eric Adams assertion that migrants arriving in New York City should be given expedited work permits.

Adams asked the Biden administration to expedite the process in April, a message echoed by Governor Kathy Hochul earlier this week. “They don’t want our free shelter. They don’t want free food. They don’t want free clothing. They’re saying, 'Can we work?'” the mayor previously said.

A local congressman agreed with the suggestion.

Currently outside NYC City Hall with @ThevoiceAlexa. Trying to get some opinions on the migrant crisis in the city.

Congressmen @RepEspaillat thinks it would be a good idea to give illegal migrants work permits.

Full interaction to come at https://t.co/BSfC94asg0 pic.twitter.com/xrUcLrkDBo

— Lincoln Jay (@lincolnmjay) May 26, 2023

 “I think that's a good idea,” Rep. Adriano Espaillat told Rebel News reporter Alexa Lavoie during a brief encounter in New York City, backing the idea put forward by fellow Democrats. Espaillat identifies himself as a “former undocumented immigrant turned progressive congressman.”

Signage posted at the Port Authority Bus Terminal showed how migrants can receive reticketing to finish their travel before staying at hotels in the city. 

NEW YORK CITY:

Migrants arriving in New York City at the Port Authority Bus Terminal can be reticketed to their final destination at The Roosevelt hotel. Have yet to confirm who is paying for this process.

More to come at https://t.co/3ANpCQEi2S pic.twitter.com/SfzgMFaVTb

— Alexandra Lavoie (@ThevoiceAlexa) May 26, 2023

Meanwhile, just a short walk from near the city's iconic Times Square, a massive hotel is completely closed for public occupancy while it houses migrants. The 27-storey Row NYC, which has over 1,300 rooms, had a police presence outside when our Rebel News team was on scene.

NEW YORK CITY:

Police officers are doing surveillance outside one of the biggest hotels “ROW NYC” being used to house migrants. Two minute walk from Times Square.

The hotel has about 1331 rooms. It is currently closed for immigration purposes.

To support our journalism go… pic.twitter.com/DBCF8usWLM

— Alexandra Lavoie (@ThevoiceAlexa) May 26, 2023

The security at the ROW hotel NYC tried to block the camera of @lincolnmjay and tried to get the police to stop us from filming the immigration scene in the hotel.

The police officers never said a word to us.

Full interaction to come at https://t.co/3ANpCQEi2S pic.twitter.com/fQPTwe5Ieg

— Alexandra Lavoie (@ThevoiceAlexa) May 26, 2023

Security at the Row NYC requested our team stop filming, though police declined to respond.

An employee of the hotel told the New York Post what it was like working at the hotel earlier this year. “Chaos, total chaos,” was how the worker described it to Fox & Friends, the Post reported.

INSIDE LOOK: Photos from the inside of the ROW NYC, a hotel housing up to 5,000 illegal immigrants in NYC.

My whistleblower shared that the migrants have daily housekeeping but the rooms are always trashed and alcohol and drugs are a constant issue: pic.twitter.com/EdEW3R3pZ5

— Savanah Hernandez (@sav_says_) May 24, 2023

New Yorkers are footing the bill, apparently “between $400 and $500 a night, per room, depending on how big the room is,” the worker added.

Rebel News is in New York investigating the city's ongoing migrant crisis. Follow along with our coverage and help support our 100% viewer-funded journalism at MigrantReports.com.