In Record Time: New Migrant Respite Center Takes Over Neighboring Sunset Park

by Mindy Cohn

With less than 24 hours' notice, a new respite site for recently arrived illegal immigrants popped up over the weekend in record time at the Sunset Park Recreation Center.

Cots inside the building now provide sleeping arrangements for up to 100 illegals from Nicaragua, Venezuela, Peru, and Colombia as of motzei Shabbos. Meanwhile, on Sunday, countless volunteers outside the center kept busy passing out snacks and toiletries. A free lunch followed as the illegals sat on benches, enjoyed a soccer game on the fields, or just enjoyed the park, crowding out the locals who have now lost an important oasis in their lives.

"This is where my wife and I take my kids to play regularly," Nachum P. tells BoroPark24. "There is no way we can bring them here now. Not only have we lost our park, but we've lost the security we felt in our neighborhood. None of us feel safe now. It's like we had zero say in this. One day we were just living our lives and minding our own business, and the next day we have a hundred illegal migrants tossed into the middle of our neighborhood." 

One hundred protestors, consisting mainly of first-generation Chinese immigrants, according to the Gothamist, held a rally as the illegals were treated to the handouts. Ying Tan, the Republican candidate for City Council in the 43rd district, led the rally.

"As first-generation immigrants, we understand that everybody comes here to go for a better life," the Gothamist quoted Tan. "But this is not fair for the taxpayers of New York City. We need to secure the border. We have to expedite the court to process all these migrant cases."

The recreation center is now closed to the public to house the illegal migrants. Seniors will no longer be able to take part in their regular classes and programming as illegals now come first. Sunset Park seniors' quality of life has now been diminished despite the fact that many seniors rely heavily on such programs as their only opportunities for socialization and exercise but are now being treated worse than the illegals.