Asylum seekers living in both The Row and The Watson hotels in Shell's Kitchen are ready to start work and escape city control as soon as they receive their work permits.
Three immigrant families staying in a Hell's Kitchen hotel told W42ST that navigating the legal and bureaucratic process of seeking asylum in the United States while adjusting to the fast-paced rhythm of New York City is difficult. Ta. They want to work, but they cannot legally do so without a permit, which they only have for six months after submitting their refugee claim.
Asylum seekers must submit their claims within a year of arriving in the United States, but some families W42ST spoke to have not yet done so. In total, they could be waiting up to 18 months before being allowed to work.
“We want to work, but without permits, we're stuck,” said Lewis, sitting outside the Watson Hotel (W57th St bw 9th/10th Ave) with his wife and daughter. “I don't understand why the government is keeping us stuck.”
“It's an unnecessary expense,” he said, noting that city and state resources are being spent on assisting asylum seekers, “because if we were granted permission, we would be able to make a living.” he said. For now, he and his family like living in the shelter, and while others are said to be generally friendly and share resources with each other, he is reluctant to get a job. I long for it.
Lewis said she didn't expect to be without a job when she arrived in New York City. He and his family arrived from Denver, Colorado, a month ago and are waiting to meet with a lawyer or paralegal to file their asylum claim.
According to the Comptroller's Office, 64,000 asylum seekers were living in the city's custody as of last month, and more than 182,900 had passed through the city's intake system. Many state and local politicians, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams, are calling on the federal government to speed up the issuance of work permits for asylum seekers and eliminate the six-month waiting period. The Biden administration has granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which gives Venezuelans a path to work, but does not apply to those arriving after early 2024.
For Hell's Kitchen resident Sabrina Rebellon, the experience of recently arrived asylum seekers in New York City is familiar. She is Venezuelan and she applied for asylum in the United States in 2016. Eight years later, she still hasn't had her first court date. exterior.
“Asylum seekers are coming in in very desperate situations, and they're just surviving,” Rebellon said. “They're doing their best, but sometimes they just need a little compassion and understanding from us.”
When migrants began arriving in New York City by bus from Texas in the summer of 2022, Rebellon stepped forward to help them, translating information from English to Spanish, collecting clothes and transporting them to the port.・I greeted the bus arriving at the Authority Bus Terminal.
“I have a master's degree, but [and] I could speak perfect English,” Rebellon said. It's not easy if you don't speak English. ”
Even after Rebellon obtained his work permit, he had to renew it every two years. She is currently on her fifth permit.
Thousands of New Yorkers volunteer their time to provide asylum seekers with clothing, food and access to social services, including Athletes Artist Activists, an organization operating out of Metro Baptist Church in Hell's Kitchen. We are conducting activities to
Outside the Watson Hotel, there is an overall peaceful atmosphere throughout the afternoon. Children run around in circles and play games, while parents lean on the building's scaffolding to pass the time. On weekdays, the sidewalks are filled with children returning from school. They are welcomed by the people, many of whom are recently arrived immigrants, enjoying the fresh air. Some share traditional dishes from their home countries with others. Standing with a shopping cart between them are Charlie and his wife Maria, who have been providing services to other immigrants for the past month. Fresus con crema (strawberries and cream), a typical Venezuelan dessert that reminds you of home. To their left, two children, Santiago and Schenelle, are playing together.
Like Lewis, the couple has not yet been able to make an appointment with a lawyer to file their asylum claim, but they hope to do so soon. They stayed in Watson until mid-April, in violation of the city's shelter restriction regulations, which require immigrant families to reapply for shelter every 60 days, and have stayed in The Row since then. However, they prefer to spend their time in front of the square. Charlies said that's because Watson is a more peaceful area.
A few blocks away on The Row (8th Ave bw W44/45th St), Manhattan's fast-paced rhythms take center stage. Tourists and New Yorkers rush by as groups of immigrants and asylum seekers gather outside to spend time with friends and family. Children run up and down the sidewalk, and parents often yell at them not to wander too far.
For Maria Lada, the street in front of her hotel and the surrounding area is the only place she can interact with her daughter, cousins, and grandchildren. She does not live in the hotel herself, so you are not allowed to visit her room.
For Maria, a Venezuelan like Luis and Charlie, adjusting to city life was a culture shock. “I spent two weeks feeling depressed,” she said. “I was scared and didn't want to go outside. And I couldn't be with mine. [daughter and cousin] Because we were each in different shelters. ” She was placed in a shelter on Staten Island, far from the rest of her family in Hell's Kitchen.
Since then, she has learned how to use Google Maps, filed an asylum claim, and is no longer living in a shelter.
“Here's everything [found] Let’s look at it on a map,” she said with a smile. She said, “I didn't know how to use it because I didn't need it locally.''
Maria's daughter Patricia and her husband plan to leave The Row as soon as they receive their work permits. Mail often takes a long time to reach hotels, she said. She knows of other people who missed immigration court hearings because she didn't notify them in time. This is especially true if you move from one shelter to another and your mail is sent to your old address.
Living in a hotel is difficult for Patricia's children, who are toddlers. “I think it's stressful for them to be indoors for so long,” she says. “[People in our culture] I like being social and spending time outside. ” At the same time, “They treat us well. The social workers who come. [to the shelter] Please be careful with children. ”
Patricia said residents of The Row are lending a helping hand to each other. It's a temporary community, she added. Most people leave home when they can afford to buy an apartment. Still, they help each other by sharing useful information and contacts through her WhatsApp. And, Patricia added, “If I have clothes that I haven't worn, I put them in my bag and when I hear that a new family member is coming, I give them to them.”
For now, the entire family remains stuck, waiting to start work and leave the Hell's Kitchen shelter.
“We have to wait,” Lewis said. “I have family here and I have family in Venezuela that I have to support.”
