Danny, a Venezuelan migrant who recently arrived in the “Big Apple,” is beyond surprised with the accommodations and benefits provided to him. He crossed the Rio Grande in May near Brownsville, Texas, after a grueling trek through Panama, Central America, and Mexico.
Now, Danny told Breitbart Texas he has a clean hotel room, a New York City identification card, free health care and prescription benefits, and recently found a job at a cleaning company. All at the expense of New York City taxpayers.
The video shows the city-provided hotel room where Danny and another migrant currently live. He recently began working for a residential/commercial cleaning company and works four days weekly. Despite not having a work authorization card allowing him to legally work, or a New York driver’s license, his employer hired him and allows him to drive a company vehicle into New Jersey on workdays. The video shows Danny’s drive to work across the George Washington Bridge over the Hudson River.
Danny’s journey to New York began in early May when he was forced out of a migrant camp when members of the violent Gulf Cartel burned an encampment he was living in on the Mexican bank of the Rio Grande. Danny told Breitbart Texas of the incident in Brownsville and provided video footage of the camp. He arrived in Texas before the end of the Title 42 protocol.
Danny told Breitbart Texas he traveled from Brownsville to Dallas on a bus trip that cost him $80.00. From there, he and several Columbian migrants managed to scrape up the funds needed to fly into New York City. With no friends or relatives in the United States, Danny said he made his way to a local homeless shelter once he arrived.
The shelter life was chaotic, and for 15 days, Danny says he did his best to avoid any issues with other residents. On the 15th day, he was told he could move to a city-funded hotel in the Bronx. Danny has been at the hotel since mid-May, saying the accommodation is beyond anything he could have imagined.
Contrary to reports that describe drug use and violence in some of the New York City hotels used to house migrants, Danny says that is not the case where he is staying.
“We have more than 15 Army soldiers that help with security and hand out food to us when we get hungry, there is plenty of food available all day and our rooms are cleaned every morning,” he told Breitbart Texas. Danny says laundry service and cable television at the hotel are free as well. All of this is provided by the taxpayers of New York City.
A national guard soldier restocks food for migrants staying in a New York City hotel. (Photo: Danny — Venezuelan Migrant)
Danny was released by the Border Patrol shortly after his crossing. He explained to Breitbart Texas that he doesn’t have a set date to report to ICE to begin his formal asylum process. His case paperwork only says “TBD” on the date, time, and place line on his Notice to Appear (NTA).
The Border Patrol resorted to using the “To Be Determined” language on the NTA to speed the releases from some migrant detention facilities. Setting precise dates, times, and places on the form requires timely coordination with ICE to receive the required docket information for the notice.
Danny says he has a common-law wife in Colombia that he plans to help cross into the United States using the CBP One application soon. “I can fly her from Bogota, Colombia to Monterrey, Mexico, for less than $300. Hopefully, she will be here soon and get the CBP One appointment fast,” he emphasized.
Danny says he must wait at least six months after he formally applies for asylum before he is able to legally work so his employer agreed to pay him in cash. He told Breitbart Texas many of the migrants that live in the hotel have found underground employment in restaurants, small businesses, and nearby homes where they clean and care for children. “Finding a job here was easier than I thought. They have great confidence in me where I work and even allow me to drive the work truck,” he told Breitbart Texas.
Danny proudly showed Breitbart Texas a copy of his newly issued city identification card and his health care cards issued by Molina Health of New York. The health plan provided by the city affords Danny medical, prescription, dental, and vision services. The plan requires no monthly premiums, no co-pays, and offers prescriptions to “Essential Plan” holders at a cost of $1 for generic medications and $3 for named brand drugs.
Snacks and water readily available 24/7 to migrants staying in a hotel at New York City taxpayers expense. (Photo: Danny — Venezuelan Migrant)
Danny provided photos of the food supplies available for the migrants at the hotel and one of the Army National Guard soldiers moving food into a refrigerator for use by the migrants.
Danny says most people in Venezuela earn less than the equivalent of $50.00 per month. He says he now earns double that amount in a single day. He says he is surprised and grateful for the support he has been provided and hopes one day to be able to move from the hotel when he is legally able to enter the workforce.
The cost to provide services to the migrants in New York City is staggering with one recent estimate of $4.2 billion through July 2024, according to a February New York Post report. Adams has repeatedly asked the Biden Administration to reimburse the city for migrant care expenses hoping to pass some of the costs onto U.S. taxpayers.
In response to Adam’s pleas, $135 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Shelter Services Program has been doled out to the city in recent months.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.