Over 1,000 African migrants descend on New York City Hall to protest against ‘anti-blackness’ and plead for help getting work permits

More than 1,000 migrants gathered outside NYC City Hall on Tuesday ahead of a City Council oversight hearing focused on the experience of Black arrivals.

The majority of attendees came from Haiti, Guinea and West Africa and were seeking more aid, better shelter and work permits, according to reports.

Only 250 people were allowed into the 10 a.m. hearing, but hundreds more flocked to the park across the street.

Videos circulating on social media show the crowd singing and cheering.

Some people were reportedly encouraged to attend under the false pretense that they would receive green cards and work visas, and were led to City Hall by an activist group, a source told the New York Post.

A majority of immigrants are reportedly from Haiti and Africa and are looking for more ‘assistance and the opportunity to work’

City councilor Alexa Avilés, chair of the Immigration Commission, organized the hearing with the testimonies of undocumented African immigrants in the city’s shelters.

“Today’s hearing focuses on the experiences of Black immigrants in New York and has reached more than 1,000 people,” Avilés said in a statement. after on X.

“We must root out the anti-Blackness that plagues our healthcare systems – this work requires dedication, creativity and a city willing to fund our needs in the short, medium and long term.”

The crowd is said to have gathered under the false pretense of receiving green cards and work visas

Before listening to the testimony, committee members heard from activists whose work focuses on providing services to African migrants

The hearing is expected to introduce a bill to survey newly arrived migrants and asylum seekers to collect data on their skills, economic prospects and barriers to job growth.

A press release obtained by the New York Post said the Immigration Committee and the City Council Committee on Hospitals held the joint hearing to “understand how the [Adams] The government addresses language barriers, cultural competency challenges, health needs and other obstacles faced by new immigrants.

The press release said that before listening to the testimony, committee members heard from activists whose work focuses on providing services to African migrants, The New York Post reported.

It was also expected that a bill would be introduced during the hearing that would require the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), in consultation with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), to interview newly arrived migrants and asylum seekers to collect data about their skills, economic prospects and barriers to employment growth.

“Black immigrants, who are disproportionately harmed by every aspect of our immigration system, deserve language justice, dignity and access to services,” New York City Comptroller Brad Lander wrote in an article. after on X.

City councilor Alexa Avilés, chair of the Immigration Commission, organized the hearing with the testimonies of undocumented African immigrants in the city’s shelters.

“Thank you @CMAlexaAviles and @CMMercedesCD46 for holding this critical hearing – we need equality and anti-racism in everything we do.”

New York Mayor Eric Adams has been highly critical of the Biden administration and the influx of immigrants into sanctuary cities, calling the issue “one of the greatest humanitarian crises this city has ever seen.”

The city has hosted more than 175,000 migrants and currently accommodates about 67,500 migrants, limiting them to a 30-day stay in a shelter to reduce overflow.

DailyMail.com has previously reported on the collapse of migrant programs due to racial tensions between asylum seekers from Latin America and Africa.

Adams estimates that the city will spend $12 billion over the next three years to accommodate the influx, setting up large-scale emergency shelters, renting out hotels and providing various government services to migrants.