Part of the answer can be found at a large church in Long Island City, Queens, the Evangel Christian Center, which the city said accepted nearly 200 people last week who had been in the line outside the Roosevelt Hotel, which has become the main intake center for migrants.
Several migrants from the West African nation of Mauritania said Wednesday that they had been moved there from their sidewalk sleeping spots.
Mohammed Yerim, a Mauritanian in his mid-20s, said he came directly to the church, bypassing the line outside the hotel, after arriving from Florida.
Two emergency lodgings in recreation centers in Brooklyn in McCarren Park and Sunset Park that opened over the weekend are housing about 80 people each.
A small number of migrants leave the shelter system each week after finding homes elsewhere.
Persons:
Mohammed Yerim, “
Organizations:
Evangel Christian Center
Locations:
Long Island City, Queens, West African, Mauritania, Mauritanian, Florida, Brooklyn, McCarren, Clinton Hill