QBP RICHARDS ON REPORTS OF CREEDMOOR CAMPUS, AQUEDUCT RACETRACK SOON BEING USED TO HOUSE ASYLUM SEEKERS

(July 16, 2023 at 12:30pm)

QUEENS, NY – Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. stated the following in response to reports that encampments will be established in the coming weeks to house asylum seekers on the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center campus in Eastern Queens and at Aqueduct Racetrack in Southern Queens.

“As the administration discusses the merits of these potential locations, we cannot lose sight of the individuals at the heart of this crisis. Many of these asylum seekers are young families who have made perilous, months-long journeys across entire continents, carrying with them little else but hope for a safer, more prosperous future for their loved ones,” said Borough President RICHARDS. “In The World’s Borough, we have always opened our arms to anyone who wishes to build that better life right here in our community. That will never change, regardless of circumstance.

“When it comes to these two proposed sites, the Mayor’s Office must establish a constant channel of communication with local leaders and neighborhood stakeholders through the creation of Community Advisory Boards for each location. The city must also leave no stone unturned to ensure the safety of all involved — both the surrounding communities and those housed at the sites alike — and ensure that there is adequate local transportation for our asylum seekers who need to travel elsewhere,” added Borough President RICHARDS. “Above all else, such a proposal is yet further proof that there is no more critical work ahead of us locally than the work of rapidly and significantly expanding our affordable housing stock. On the federal level, the Biden Administration must move with the urgency of now to allow our asylum seekers to gain employment immediately.”

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