Around 1,300 African migrants congregated outside New York City Hall on Tuesday, drawn by what some believed were promises of obtaining a green card or work visa if they attended a hearing.
The New York Post reported that only 250 individuals were permitted inside for the 10 a.m. hearing, leaving hundreds outside in a nearby park, where they were seen chanting and cheering.
The migrants primarily hailed from West African countries like Guinea. According to some migrants interviewed by the NY Post, they were enticed to come to city hall by an activist group that pledged assistance in obtaining work visas or green cards.
Amadou Sara Bah, a 44-year-old migrant from Guinea, expressed his disappointment after waiting for hours outside city hall. He had hoped to receive help with a work permit and green card, having applied for the permit in March and growing anxious due to the prolonged waiting period.
Dial Lochitlio, a 19-year-old from Guinea, mentioned that community elders directed him to city hall for asylum-related information.
Assitan Makadii from African Communities Together clarified that there were miscommunications that led migrants to city hall under false pretenses. Makadii emphasized the migrants’ human rights and the challenges they face without proper support.
The joint hearing by the City Council’s Committee of Immigration and Committee on Hospitals aimed to address the experiences of migrants in shelters, including language barriers and cultural challenges. Manuel Castro, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office on Immigrant Affairs, acknowledged the need for better language training and adjustments to accommodate migrants from diverse linguistic backgrounds.
