Nearly three dozen migrants, including two families with children, sat on the sidewalk under thin blankets outside of a city office in Brooklyn as snow was falling on the streets this past Tuesday night. Those waiting were told that they would be given city-issued identification cards that are needed to apply for jobs in the city.
They spent the night camping outside in the 20-degree weather for a chance at obtaining these IDNYC cards.
Some migrants waiting reported to the Times that they were told by shelter workers that they needed the ID card in order to proceed with finding legal employment. One woman who was six months pregnant told the Times she heard that she needed the card to be seen at a local hospital, which is incorrect.
With Winter weather conditions growing more severe, the 68,000 migrants in the city are facing even more rough circumstances than usual, and many are eager to expedite their process to stability.
“They told me I need the city ID first, so then I can start the application for the work permit,” Jimmy Darwin, 26, from Peru, said. Mr. Darwin had a spot near the front of the line where he waited with his 9-year-old daughter and wife until 7 a.m.. He took it upon himself to build a little house for his family out of cardboard boxes and a suitcase, as a way of keeping them warm.
This sense of urgency among migrants is also coming from restrictions being imposed by the city, as last week they began issuing letters of eviction to families approaching the 60-day limit to stay at one shelter. If they want to stay at that shelter, they are mandated to reapply, or else they must find another one to house them, as NYC shelters are required to offer a bed to any homeless person.
However, several migrants at the processing center at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan reported being told by workers that they had 60 days before they were booted from the free housing system altogether.
“They told us that this is our last chance, we have 60 days and that’s it,” said Gracia Ekwa, a father of three from Angola.
Kayla Mamelak, a city spokeswoman, claims that everybody who has reapplied for shelter has received it, and added that if families are unable to find housing after the 60-day period the city will do everything they can to find them beds and shelter.
The local government is currently dealing with the costs and their budgeting in this crisis, as on Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a state budget that includes $2.4 billion to help NYC with migrants, which is a $500 million increase from last year. Mayor Eric Adams has reduced the projected three-year cost of caring for migrants from $12 billion to $10.6 billion, which is about 12% less. He plans to achieve this mostly by spending less on public services for them.
Appointments to apply for the IDNYC card usually fill up rather quickly, but the office on Third Ave in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, takes some walk-ins, which has led to migrants filling up the sidewalk outside of the office for at least a week.
Councilman Lincoln Restler, who is a part of the district where the city office is located, brought a bag of blankets for those waiting outside, which quickly escalated as some people yelled and cursed for one, and others took more than one and ran back to their spot. Mr. Restler said that dozens of people have been waiting outside of the office for more than a week.
Even with more ID cards being issued, there is still no guarantee that migrants will be able to find legal work, as a state ID does not change work authorization or immigration status, which are often significant parts of the hiring process.
