`[House Hearing, 118 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]






                                 


 
        DESTROYING AMERICA'S BEST IDEA: BIDEN'S BORDER CRISIS,


                    DESECRATING NATIONAL PARK LANDS


                       AND DAMAGING COMMUNITIES

=======================================================================

                           OVERSIGHT HEARING

                               before the

              SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS

                                 of the

                     COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
                     U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                    ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

                             SECOND SESSION

                               __________

                        Thursday, June 13, 2024

                               __________

                           Serial No. 118-130

                               __________

       Printed for the use of the Committee on Natural Resources
       
       
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	               U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 
 55-974PDF                  WASHINGTON : 2024
          
          
          
          


                     COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

                     BRUCE WESTERMAN, AR, Chairman
                    DOUG LAMBORN, CO, Vice Chairman
                  RAUL M. GRIJALVA, AZ, Ranking Member

Doug Lamborn, CO                      Grace F. Napolitano, CA
Robert J. Wittman, VA                 Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan
Tom McClintock, CACNMI                Jared Huffman, CA
Garret Graves, LA                     Ruben Gallego, AZ
Paul Gosar, AZ                        Joe Neguse, CO
Aumua Amata C. Radewagen,             ASMike Levin, CA
Doug LaMalfa, CA                      Katie Porter, CA
Daniel Webster, FL                    Teresa Leger Fernandez, NM
Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon,             PR Melanie A. Stansbury, NM
Russ Fulcher, ID                      Mary Sattler Peltola, AK
Pete Stauber, MN                      Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, NY
John R. Curtis, UT                    Kevin Mullin, CA
Tom Tiffany, WI                       Val T. Hoyle, OR
Jerry Carl, AL                        Sydney Kamlager-Dove, CA
Matt Rosendale, MT                    Seth Magaziner, RI
Lauren Boebert, CO                    Nydia M. Velazquez, NY
Cliff Bentz, OR                       Ed Case, HI
Jen Kiggans, VA                       Debbie Dingell, MI
Jim Moylan, GU                        Susie Lee, NV
Wesley P. Hunt, TX
Mike Collins, GA
Anna Paulina Luna, FL
John Duarte, CA
Harriet M. Hageman, WY

                                     
                                     , 
                                       
                                     
                                     

                    Vivian Moeglein, Staff Director
                      Tom Connally, Chief Counsel
                 Lora Snyder, Democratic Staff Director
                   http://naturalresources.house.gov
                                 ------                                

              SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS

                        PAUL GOSAR, AZ, Chairman
                      MIKE COLLINS, GA, Vice Chair
                MELANIE A. STANSBURY, NM, Ranking Member

Matt Rosendale, MT                   Ed Case, HI
Wesley P. Hunt, TX                   Ruben Gallego, AZ
Mike Collins, GA                     Susie Lee, NV
Anna Paulina Luna, FL                Raul M. Grijalva, AZ, ex officio
Bruce Westerman, AR, ex officio
                                 ------                                
                                CONTENTS

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page

Hearing held on Thursday, June 13, 2024..........................     1

Statement of Members:

    Gosar, Hon. Paul, a Representative in Congress from the State 
      of Arizona.................................................     1
    Stansbury, Hon. Melanie A., a Representative in Congress from 
      the State of New Mexico....................................     3

Statement of Witnesses:

    Williams, Jaime, Assembly Member, 58th District, New York 
      State Assembly, Brooklyn, New York.........................     5
        Prepared statement of....................................     6
    King, Paul, President, Belle Harbor Property Owners 
      Association, Belle Harbor, New York........................     7
        Prepared statement of....................................     9
    Fischer, Amy, Director of Refugee and Migrant Rights, Amnesty 
      International USA, Washington, DC..........................    10
        Prepared statement of....................................    12
        Questions submitted for the record.......................    17
    Morrissey, Elizabeth, President, Madison Marine Park 
      Homecrest Civic Association, Brooklyn, New York............    20
        Prepared statement of....................................    22

Additional Materials Submitted for the Record:

    Submissions for the Record by Representative Gosar

        State of New York, Homeland Security and Emergency 
          Services, Letter to the Committee......................    44
        New York City Emergency Management, Letter to the 
          Committee..............................................    45

    Submissions for the Record by Representative Stansbury

        Ayuda Social Services, Client Stories....................    48
        GreenLatinos, Letter to the Committee....................    51




          OVERSIGHT HEARING ON DESTROYING AMERICA'S BEST IDEA:



         BIDEN'S BORDER CRISIS, DESECRATING NATIONAL PARK LANDS



                        AND DAMAGING COMMUNITIES

                              ----------                              


                        Thursday, June 13, 2024

                     U.S. House of Representatives

              Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

                     Committee on Natural Resources

                             Washington, DC

                              ----------                              

    The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 11 a.m. in 
Room 1334, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Paul Gosar 
[Chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding.
    Present: Representatives Gosar, Rosendale, Hunt, Westerman; 
and Stansbury.
    Also Present: Representatives Tiffany, Kiggans, Malliotakis 
and D'Esposito.

    Dr. Gosar. The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 
will come now to order.
    Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare a 
recess of the Subcommittee at any time.
    The Subcommittee is meeting today to hear testimony on 
destroying America's best idea: Biden's border crisis, 
desecrating national park lands and damaging communities.
    Under Committee Rule 4(f), any oral opening statements at 
the hearing are limited to the Chairman and the Ranking Member. 
I, therefore, ask unanimous consent that all other Members' 
statements be made part of the hearing record if they are 
submitted in accordance with Committee Rule 3(o).
    Without objection, so ordered.
    I ask unanimous consent that the following Members be 
allowed to sit and participate today in today's hearing: the 
gentleman from Wisconsin, Mr. Tiffany; the gentlewoman from 
Virginia, Ms. Kiggans; the gentlewoman from New York, Ms. 
Malliotakis; and the gentleman from New York, Mr. D'Esposito.
    Without objection, so ordered.
    I now recognize myself for an opening statement.

STATEMENT OF THE HON. PAUL GOSAR, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS 
                   FROM THE STATE OF ARIZONA

    Dr. Gosar. Good morning, everyone. I first would like to 
take a moment to say thank you to our witnesses for your 
travel. Thank you for coming before the Committee today to 
discuss destroying America's best idea, Biden's border crisis, 
desecrating national park lands and damaging communities.
    Last September, Chairman Westerman and I visited New York 
City in the wake of Mayor Adams, a Democrat, predicting that 
the massive increase in migrants was destroying the city. After 
being denied a tour of the processing center, we visited Floyd 
Bennett Field with local elected officials, as well as 
representatives from the National Park Service. An agreement to 
lease the site, which sits on National Park Service land, had 
just been signed between the City of New York and the National 
Park Service. Local residents, local elected officials, and 
even law enforcement repeatedly vocalized their concerns for 
the wrongly reached plan to house thousands of migrants on one 
of the largest green spaces in New York City.
    We asked all kinds of questions about safety and security 
for both the employees and the migrants themselves. All of our 
concerns were ignored, as at this time the focus was simply on 
housing more people at any cost, no matter what rules needed to 
be bent. Here we are, 9 months later. All the problems we 
predicted have come to pass. Let's quickly tick through them. 
Crime in the local area has gone up. Stress on local and park 
law enforcement has increased. Local citizens have experienced 
reduced access to green spaces. Even the migrant population at 
the camp itself is not safe. During a winter storm last year, 
the migrants had to be evacuated to a local high school, which 
caused the students to miss school.
    Above all, building this camp did nothing to resolve the 
overall issue of reducing the number of illegal immigrants 
coming to the New York City seeking shelter. The Biden 
administration's misguided immigration policies are at the 
heart of these issues. Since the beginning of this 
Administration, President Biden has rolled back many of the 
policies that helped reduce the number of illegal aliens coming 
through our border and entering our cities.
    Just yesterday, suspected terrorists with ISIS ties were 
arrested by ICE in New York City and several other cities. The 
men were migrants who had crossed the southern border just last 
year. The Border Patrol has lost nearly a quarter of its 
workforce since October 2020. Twice as many agents have chosen 
to retire early, compared to the Obama and Trump 
administrations. One agent even commented that ``The 
Administration is so bad for morale that I am not trying to be 
political, I am just speaking the facts. It has become 
political. Catch and release is demoralizing the agents.''
    In fact, the situation has gotten so bad during President 
Biden's time in office that President Biden himself is now 
desperately attempting to reverse this course and limit asylum 
claims with an Executive Order. But this action comes a little 
too late and further supports this Committee's conviction that 
housing migrants on national park land is neither an 
appropriate use of the nation's most treasured places, nor does 
it address the Biden administration's border crisis.
    The Committee is thoroughly investigating the Biden 
administration's decision to lease Floyd Bennett Field, and has 
issued requests for document productions, held briefings, 
conducted interviews involving several Federal entities 
involving the Department of the Interior, National Park 
Service, Department of Homeland Security, and the Executive 
Office of the President. The Committee will continue to move 
forward with this investigation until the Biden administration 
not only commits to a rapid demobilization plan for the camp at 
Floyd Bennett Field, but also acknowledges their mistakes in 
creating this precedent.
    America's national parks are called our nation's best idea. 
The National Park Service mission is to ``preserve unimpaired 
the natural and cultural resources and values of the National 
Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of 
this and future generations.'' Housing migrants at National 
Park Service lands sets a dangerous precedent that, left 
unchecked, could expand into either public lands and national 
parks, transforming the legacy of a park system from one of 
natural beauty to a pay-for-play system, prioritizing migrants 
over our shared national and cultural history.
    The Floyd Bennett Field lease expires in September. The 
Biden administration has so far remained silent about its 
future plans for the migrant camp at Floyd Bennett Field. 
However, I want to make sure we are clear about this. The lease 
must end, and it will in January.

    I am now recognizing the Ranking Member for her opening 
statement.

STATEMENT OF THE HON. MELANIE A. STANSBURY, A REPRESENTATIVE IN 
             CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO

    Ms. Stansbury. All right. Good morning, everyone, and thank 
you, Mr. Chairman. I want to welcome our witnesses who have 
traveled to be here today.
    This is the sixth hearing that the House Natural Resources 
Committee has had on the topic of immigration, and it is the 
fourth meeting that we have had in this Subcommittee. I want to 
remind my colleagues that this is the Natural Resources 
Committee, not the Homeland Security Committee.
    And this is also the second hearing in a row in which the 
Republican leadership of this Committee has invited a witness 
who is an active candidate running for Congress. So, I want to 
just remind my colleagues that our taxpayer dollars are not to 
be used for political purposes or as a campaign stop for 
political activities.
    And in addition to that, I think it is worth noting that 
this Committee was originally scheduled for earlier in the 
morning, but was rescheduled so that Donald Trump could meet 
with House Republicans off campus for a political rally this 
morning.
    So, here we are, in spite of all of that, having an 
immigration hearing this morning in the House Natural Resources 
Committee under the pretense of concern about a Federal lease 
on public lands. But I guess my question is, if folks are so 
concerned about Federal leases, why did they not raise their 
voices when Donald Trump violated the Emoluments Clause of the 
Constitution and a Federal lease with the GSA so that he could 
use the National Post Office Building here on Pennsylvania 
Avenue to open a Trump Hotel and use it as a personal piggy 
bank during his presidency, as foreign governments spent 
millions of dollars at that hotel while they were meeting with 
him in the Oval Office with official business?
    Furthermore, he used one of our greatest national parks for 
a Fourth of July campaign rally, even against the objections of 
the local tribes for whom it is a sacred place.
    Or what about Attorney Barr using his authority to call 
park police and National Guard troops in to take public 
citizens out of Lafayette Park, which is also a public space in 
front of the White House, after he did not want them there 
protesting after the death of George Floyd?
    Or when the Trump administration blasted through public 
lands and habitats to advance their various priorities around 
the development of natural resources?
    And my question is, why didn't the leadership of this 
Committee raise their voices then?
    And also, if we are so concerned about NEPA, which I am 
excited to hear that we are suddenly concerned about NEPA, why 
is it that they demanded, as part of the flesh of the 
negotiation over the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which they are 
now violating during their budget hearings, that we undermine 
the fundamentals of NEPA in order to keep the U.S. economy from 
shutting down?
    So, I find it extremely ironic that we are here today in 
what appears to be more like a New York State or New York City 
Assembly meeting to talk about a park in New York, and the use 
of a small piece of an airstrip in this park for housing 
individuals who have come to this country to seek asylum.
    So, what is this hearing actually about? Is it actually 
about public lands? Is it about NEPA? Or is it about using this 
Committee for campaign activities to advance a political agenda 
during a campaign year and to advance political candidates?
    In fact, we tried to pass bipartisan immigration reform 
here in Congress just a few months ago. And the very gentlemen 
that these folks have been meeting with this morning told them 
to not support bipartisan immigration reform because it was a 
good issue for Donald Trump to campaign on.
    So, I just find it very rich that we are sitting here this 
morning to talk about violations of Federal leases, of which 
there has been extremely lengthy due diligence to make sure 
that that did not occur. Talking about immigration, and 
demonizing immigrants who come to one of the greatest cities in 
the world, who has welcomed immigrants with open arms for 
literally centuries, and a Committee that does not have 
jurisdiction to work on these issues. So, I look forward to the 
conversation.
    I do welcome our public officials for joining us today. 
This is the people's house. This is your house. But this is not 
a campaign stop.
    With that, I yield back.

    Dr. Gosar. I find it rich. I find our greatest natural 
resources are the people I am looking at, the people of this 
country. That is where we have something to do.
    I would now like to introduce our witnesses. First, we have 
Ms. Jaime Williams, Assembly Member, 59th District, New York 
State Assembly; Mr. Paul King, President, Belle Harbor Property 
Owners Association; Ms. Amy Fischer, Director of Refugee and 
Migrant Rights, Amnesty International USA; Ms. Elizabeth 
Morrissey, President, Madison Marine Park Homecrest Civic 
Association--say that three times, a tongue twister.
    Let me remind the witnesses that under Committee Rules, you 
must limit your oral statements to 5 minutes, but your entire 
statement will appear in the hearing record.
    To begin your testimony, please press the ``on'' button so 
we can all hear you. It will stay green for the first 4 
minutes, then it will turn yellow. When you see it red, kind of 
wrap it up.
    I will now recognize Ms. Williams for her 5 minutes. Thank 
you for coming back.

 STATEMENT OF JAIME WILLIAMS, ASSEMBLY MEMBER, 58TH DISTRICT, 
          NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

    Ms. Williams. Good morning, Chairman Gosar, Ranking Member 
Melanie Stansbury, and members of the Committee. Thank you for 
inviting me here today. My name is Jaime Williams, and I 
represent the 59th Assembly District in New York State.
    Last September, without any input from the surrounding 
communities, National Park Service entered into an agreement 
with New York City to house migrants in tents at Floyd Bennett 
Field. No thought was put into how it would affect taxpaying 
New Yorkers who live and work in Marine Park, Mill Basin, 
Gerritsen Beach, Mill Island, the Rockaways, and other parts of 
the surrounding area. No care was given to how this would 
affect our already depleted police precinct, or how 
transportation would be affected, how the conditions of our 
park would be affected, what this would do to our local 
businesses with such an influx of 2,000 people meant for 
residents in the surrounding areas. No one making those 
decisions cared about the answers to those questions.
    Over the last 9 months, we have seen the answers to those 
questions come to life. We see increased response time to 
crimes, overcrowded busses where fights break out amongst the 
migrants.
    We see people illegally selling food in our streets with 
babies strapped to their backs, young school-aged children who, 
instead of being in class, are sitting on a median or walking 
in and out of traffic selling chocolate bars.
    We see migrants begging at our doors and trying our door 
handles at all hours of the day and night.
    We have seen migrants attempting to jump in front of cars; 
illegal, unlicensed, and unregistered scooters zooming in and 
out of traffic lanes carelessly.
    We see residents unable to shop at our local stores without 
being harassed by the migrants, who are aggressively 
panhandling in our store parking lots.
    We see our schools inundated by more students who rarely 
show up to class on time, disrupting the day for the children 
who are ready to learn and who are on time.
    We have seen the conditions at our park deteriorate with 
garbage thrown everywhere, trash going into the waters after 
beach parties, children swimming in our waterways without any 
type of supervision where there are clearly ``no swimming'' 
signs, illegal unregistered cars parked all over our grassland 
area.
    We have had fights breaking out where the security guards 
are running for their lives, a slashing and a strangulation 
within the confines of the base camp.
    And let me make it clear: these are the events that we know 
about. Reports from the police officers and park police have 
stated that the staff at the compound are hiding what is 
happening in the base camp, oftentimes not calling it a 
criminal activity, and are unwilling to allow law enforcement 
into the tents.
    The powers that be knew that this was a recipe for 
disaster. They knew that putting 2,000 people who claim they 
were desperate and seeking asylum in a different place of 
desperation was not going to go well. So, what did they do? 
They said that it was exaggerated by us, and when we asked the 
questions, they said that they will circle back.
    The only thing that I can say to those who made those 
decisions is that we told you so. We told you that this was no 
place to house these individuals. We told you that this base 
camp would negatively affect communities and residents. We told 
you that it would affect our transportation and our quality of 
life.
    The National Park Service mission is to preserve unimpaired 
natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park 
System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this 
and future generations. With garbage thrown about, old cars 
leaking into our grasslands, and dangerous e-bikes and scooters 
carelessly being placed and used on our park land evades that 
mission.
    As we near the end of the lease, we are here again once 
more, and we ask that this lease not be renewed. We need to 
restore our national park and bring back the quality of life 
that the residents of the communities I serve deserve. Thank 
you.

    [The prepared statement of Ms. Williams follows:]
  Prepared Statement of Jaime Williams, Assemblymember, 59th Assembly 
                        District, New York State

    Good morning Chair Westerman, Ranking Member Melanie Stansbury and 
members of the committee. Thank you for inviting me here today. My name 
is Jaime Williams and I represent the 59th Assembly District in New 
York State.
    Last September, without any input from the surrounding communities, 
National Parks Service entered into an agreement with New York City to 
house migrants in tents at Floyd Bennett Field. No thought was put into 
how it would affect tax paying New Yorkers, who live and work in Marine 
Park, Mill Basin, Gerritsen Beach. Mill Island, the Rockaways and other 
parts of the surrounding area. No care was given to the how this would 
affect our already depleted police precincts; how our transportation 
would be affected; how the conditions of our park would be affected; 
what this would do to our local businesses or what an influx of 2000 
people meant for residents in the surrounding areas. No one who was 
making those decisions cared about the answers to those questions.
    Over the last nine months we have seen the answers to those 
questions come to life. We see increased response time to crimes, 
overcrowded buses where fights break out among the migrants. We see 
people illegally selling food in our streets with babies strapped to 
their backs, young school aged children who instead of being in class 
are sitting on a median or walking in and out of traffic selling 
chocolate bars. We see migrants begging at our doors and trying our 
door handles at all hours of the day and night. We have seen migrants 
attempting to jump in front of cars. Illegal, unlicensed and 
unregistered scooters zooming in and out of lanes of traffic 
carelessly. We see residents unable to shop at our local stores without 
being harassed by the migrants who are aggressively panhandling in our 
store parking lots. We see our schools inundated by more students, who 
rarely show up to class on time, disrupting the day for the children 
who come on time ready to learn.
    We have seen the conditions at our park deteriorate with garbage 
strewn everywhere. Trash going into our waters after ``beach'' parties. 
Illegal unregistered cars parked all over our grassland area. We have 
had fights breaking out, where the security guards are running for 
their lives. A slashing and a strangulation within the confines of the 
basecamp. And let me make it clear. These are the events that we know 
about. Reports from local police officers and park police have stated 
that the staff at the compound are hiding what is happening in the base 
camp, oftentimes not calling in criminal activity and are unwilling to 
allow law enforcement into the tents.
    The powers that be knew that this was a recipe for disaster. They 
knew that putting 2000 people who claimed they were desperate and 
seeking asylum in a different place of desperation was not going to go 
well. So what do they do? They act like everything we are saying is 
exaggerated or tell us that they will ``circle back to us'' when we 
have a complaint and are looking for a resolution.
    The only thing I can say to those who made this decision is we told 
you so. We told you that this was no place to house people. We told you 
that this basecamp would negatively affect the communities and 
residents. We told you that it would affect our transportation and our 
quality of life. We told you that housing 2000 people in tents in the 
middle of a field was a bad idea for everyone.
    The National Park Service mission is to ``preserve unimpaired the 
natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System 
for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future 
generations.'' With garbage strewn about, old cars leaking into our 
grasslands and dangerous ebikes and scooters carelessly being used in 
the Park, the agency has failed that mission.
    As we near the end of the lease, we again say no more of this. This 
lease cannot be renewed. We need to restore our National Park, and 
bring back the quality of life that the residents of the communities I 
serve deserve.

                                 ______
                                 

    Dr. Gosar. Thank you very much, Ms. Williams. I now 
recognize Mr. King for his 5 minutes.

STATEMENT OF PAUL KING, PRESIDENT, BELLE HARBOR PROPERTY OWNERS 
              ASSOCIATION, BELLE HARBOR, NEW YORK

    Mr. King. Thank you. Good morning, Chairman, Ranking Member 
Stansbury, and members of the Committee. My name is Paul King. 
I am a long-time civic leader on the Rockaway Peninsula, which 
is just across Jamaica Bay from Floyd Bennett Field. I am 
currently President of the Belle Harbor Property Owners 
Association. I am also a member of Queens Community Board 14.
    I am 60 years old, and I have lived every one of those 
years within 4 miles of Floyd Bennett Field. I use Floyd 
Bennett Field and Gateway National Recreation Area for youth 
sports, kayaking, biking, and camping.
    Uninformed critics mock Floyd Bennett Field as just an old 
airport. And it is true, the Federal Government terribly 
neglects Floyd Bennett Field, Fort Tilden, and Charles Park. 
But the field and Jamaica Bay are wonderful, natural resources 
in our crowded boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, where our 
citizens don't have a lot of space to enjoy nature.
    From the moment Governor Kathy Hochul said she wanted a 
migrant camp in Floyd Bennett Field, people from across the 
political spectrum said it was a bad idea, a flat-out mistake: 
local civic associations, sports organizations, park advocates, 
and the legal aid society.
    Indeed, my Congressman, Gregory Meeks, a Democrat, said 
putting a tent city in Floyd Bennett Field was a terrible idea, 
perhaps even inhumane. The Congressman knows that Floyd Bennett 
Field is exposed and cold in the winter. It is a floodplain 
that is susceptible to storm surges during hurricanes. It makes 
no sense. But the Congressman also said the migrant camp would 
not happen because housing on a national park is against the 
law. He said only an emergency declaration by President Biden 
would make it legal. And Congressman Meeks was right. The camp 
is illegal. It directly violates the Act of Congress that 
created Gateway.
    It is also a terrible place for people to live. We have had 
one big rainstorm, not a hurricane, not a big nor'easter, and 
the camp had to be evacuated. I mean, it seems that Floyd 
Bennett Field's only benefit is it is a place where Mayor Adams 
can hide the migrants far away from Manhattan.
    Unfortunately, as Assemblywoman Williams was saying, all of 
the residual effects, the direct harm to our neighboring 
communities in Brooklyn and Rockaway, the things that we warned 
about, are coming true. Our neighborhoods are where New Yorkers 
live their American dream. Our parents and grandparents worked 
hard and sacrificed to create safe spaces for their children. 
We are doing the same for our children. But now crime and 
lawlessness are increasing in our communities.
    Migrants on these illegal scooters not only weave in and 
out of traffic, they run through stop signs and red lights. 
They even fly down the sidewalks at high speed. They don't 
respect our laws or our safety. Aggressive panhandling, it is 
happening at schools and homes. Just last week, a migrant from 
Floyd Bennett Field was caught on video climbing onto a second 
floor terrace in Neponsit and trying to break into someone's 
house. Our retail stores are suffering from shoplifting and 
lost customers. We have migrants with small children not only 
standing in boulevard medians, they are out on the highway 
hawking fruit and drinks.
    And the park itself is being damaged. The park is being 
damaged and dumped on. Our own working-class Americans are 
losing opportunities to earn money. And the list goes on. But 
almost all of this was predictable. And ladies and gentleman, 
the worst is yet to come.
    Summertime, utilization of the parks spikes. The number of 
people who come to the beaches in Rockaway spikes, just as 
well. Thousands of extra people, including some of the folks 
who are proving to be bad guests, will flow into neighborhoods 
that have limited services and very little police presence. 
Similar to what the assemblywoman said, it is a recipe for 
disaster.
    In September, hurricane season kicks in full force. The 
National Hurricane Center said this is going to be a bad year, 
with as many as four to seven major storms. Having literally 
been in the Atlantic Ocean during Sandy, I can tell you, you 
don't want to be in a tent a few feet above sea level when the 
big one hits.
    Now, as you know, New York City and the National Park 
Service almost certainly will extend the lease this September. 
This is a mistake. It must not be allowed. It is bad for the 
migrants. It is bad for citizens. It is bad for our national 
park, and it is bad for our National Park System since the NPS 
Director's memo claiming this camp is consistent with the 
purpose of the park opens the door for every national park to 
be used as a migrant camp.
    So, I ask the Committee to do everything in its power to 
provide relief to the citizens in Brooklyn and Queens, to make 
sure that this temporary camp doesn't become permanent, and to 
end the illegal lease in Floyd Bennett Field.
    Thank you for your time.

    [The prepared statement of Mr. King follows:]
   Prepared Statement of Paul King, President, Belle Harbor Property 
                           Owners Association

    Good morning Chairman Gosar, Ranking Member Stansbury and members 
of the committee.
    My name is Paul King. I am a long-time civic leader on the Rockaway 
Peninsula which is across Jamaica Bay from Floyd Bennett Field. I 
currently president of the Belle Harbor Property Owners Association and 
a member of Queens CB14. I am 60 years old and have lived every one of 
those years within 4 miles of FBF. I use FBF and Gateway National 
Recreation Area for youth sports, kayaking, biking and camping.
    Uninformed critics mock FBF as just an old airport. It is true the 
Federal government terribly neglects FBF . . . and Ft. Tidlen . . . and 
Charles Park, but the park and Jamaica Bay are wonderful natural assets 
for citizens in our crowded boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens.
    From the moment Governor Kathy Hochul said she wanted a migrant 
camp in FBF, people from across the political spectrum said it was a 
mistake. Local civic associations, youth sports organizations, park 
advocates, the Legal Aid Society.
    Indeed, my Congressman, Gregory Meeks, a Democrat said putting a 
tent city in FBF was a terrible idea, even inhumane. The Congressman 
knows that FBF is exposed and cold in the winter. It a flood plain that 
is susceptible to storm surges during hurricanes. It made no sense, but 
the Congressman also said the migrant camp would not happen because 
housing in a national park is against the law. He said only an 
emergency declaration by President Biden would make it legal.
    And Congressman Meeks was right. This camp is illegal. It directly 
violates the Act of Congress that created Gateway. It is also a 
terrible place for people to live. We had one big rainstorm--not even a 
hurricane or Nor'easter--and the camp had to be evacuated.
    Unfortunately, all of the residual effects we warned about--direct 
harm to our neighboring communities in Brooklyn and Rockaway--are 
coming true.

    Our neighborhoods are where the American dream comes true in NYC. 
Our parents and grandparents worked hard and sacrificed to create safe 
places for their children. We do the same for our children.

     Now crime and lawlessness are increasing in our 
            communities.

     Illegal scooters are rampant, damaging beaches in Floyd 
            Bennett Field, weaving in and out of traffic on our roads, 
            and even zipping at high speeds down sidewalks.

     Aggressive panhandling has included migrants coming onto 
            people's properties to demand money. In one case in Belle 
            Harbor, a mother was just getting her children into the 
            house after school when she was confronted by a migrant 
            demanding money in her left.

     Just last week, a migrant from Floyd Bennett Field was 
            captured on video, climbing onto a second-floor balcony in 
            Neponset and trying to enter a home.

     Many of these migrant are just poor people trying to find 
            a better life, but some are gang members, like the 
            Venezuelan criminal from Tren de Aragua who shot two cops 
            last week.

     Our retail stores are suffering.

     We have migrants with small children standing in the 
            middle of highways trying to hawk fruit and chocolate.

     Our own working class and poor Americans are losing 
            opportunities to earn money.

    Almost all of this was predictable.

    And, ladies and gentlemen, the worst is yet to come. In July and 
August, park utilization spikes as does beach usage in Rockaway. 
Thousands of extra people--including those who are proving to be bad 
guests--will flow into neighborhoods that have limited services and 
very little police presence. It is a recipe for disaster.
    In September, hurricane season kicks in in full force. The NHC is 
predicting an above-normal hurricane season, with 4 to 7 major 
hurricanes. Having been literally in the Atlantic Ocean during Sandy, I 
can assure you that you do not want to be in a tent a few feet above 
sea level when a big one hits.
    Sure, we can evacuate the migrants ahead of a hurricane, but to 
where? NYC does not have a clear evacuation plan. And if thousands of 
migrants take slots in the storm shelters, where will our citizens go?
    As you know, NYC and the NPS can--and almost certainly will--extend 
the lease this September. This is a mistake. It must not be allowed. 
It's bad for the migrants. It's bad for our citizens. It's bad for our 
National Park.
    And it is bad for our National Park System. The NPS Director's memo 
proclaiming his migrant camp is consistent with the purpose of the 
park, not only strains credulity; it opens the door to having migrant 
camps at every national park as long as rent is being paid and used for 
park improvements.
    So I ask the committee to do everything in its power to provide 
relief to the citizens of Brooklyn and Queens. End this illegal lease 
in Floyd Bennett Field.
    Thank you for your time.

                                 ______
                                 

    Dr. Gosar. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. King. I now recognize 
Ms. Fischer for her 5 minutes.

   STATEMENT OF AMY FISCHER, DIRECTOR OF REFUGEE AND MIGRANT 
       RIGHTS, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA, WASHINGTON, DC

    Ms. Fischer. Thank you, Chair Gosar and Ranking Member 
Stansbury, for the opportunity to testify this morning.
    Amnesty International is a Nobel Prize-winning global human 
rights organization committed to fighting for a world in which 
every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As the Director of 
Refugee and Migrant Rights at Amnesty International USA, I work 
to ensure the United States is upholding these human rights 
obligations, particularly Article 14, stating that everyone has 
the right to seek and enjoy asylum from persecution, and 
Article 25 establishing that everyone has the right to a 
standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of 
himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing, 
medical care, and necessary social services.
    And while I am here today in my professional capacity, in 
my personal life I am a proud volunteer with Migrant Solidarity 
Mutual Aid, an organization here in Washington, DC, made up of 
hundreds of volunteers, community organizations, and faith 
institutions that has welcomed thousands of newcomers to our 
community. I have spent my free time welcoming new arrivals off 
of busses, helping to fill out immigration applications, 
sorting and distributing donations, and delivering furniture 
and household goods to my new neighbors. And earlier this year, 
my family and I provided shelter in our home for an asylum-
seeking family who was left on the winter streets by D.C.'s 
Office of Migrant Services that had a three-night shelter limit 
at the time. This 1-year-old girl and her sweet parents stayed 
in our home and became an extension of our family until they 
were able to move to an apartment of their own.
    It is through this personal experience that I know the joy 
of welcoming people with dignity, and it is in my capacity as 
the Director of Refugee and Migrant Rights at Amnesty that I 
know that the United States has an obligation to do so under 
international law.
    The situation in New York City was a perfect storm of high 
numbers of newcomers, exacerbated by Governor Abbott's bussing 
program, and people arriving without existing resources in the 
United States. As New York City was struggling to respond to 
high numbers of new arrivals, there was a lack of focus on case 
management, housing, and job programs. Limited access to work 
permits and processing delays further exacerbated the issue by 
restricting people's ability to work and save money to move out 
of shelters and into permanent housing. This led to the shelter 
population outpacing capacity in New York City, and the city 
finding far more inaccessible places to shelter its new 
residents, like Floyd Bennett Field.
    Alternatively, a coordinated reception system that meets 
the immediate and medium-term needs of people seeking safety 
would cut the chaos and dysfunction both at the border and the 
interior, while local communities reap the windfall benefits of 
new Federal funding avenues, spending power of new arrivals, 
and new tax revenue.
    A recent study by the Department of Health and Human 
Services found that resettled refugees and asylees contributed 
billions more in Federal, state, and local government revenues 
than they received in services. Across the country, programs 
that provide case management, legal assistance, and social 
services have been proven to be cost effective, help people 
leave shelters into permanent housing, and ensure compliance 
with immigration requirements.
    Specifically, Congress should robustly fund the Shelter and 
Services Program that provides financial support to local 
governments and community organizations to offer immediate 
reception services to new arrivals, expand the successful Case 
Management Pilot program, and create a destination reception 
fund to send Federal dollars to state, local, and tribal 
communities to build medium-term reception programs that 
promote self-sufficiency and bolster local capacity to ensure 
new and old community members have what they need to thrive.
    I will close with the story of Carla, who fled Venezuela 
with her husband and two children to seek safety and security. 
When they arrived in Washington, DC in October 2022, they were 
provided shelter in a hotel room. Carla and her husband first 
found under-the-table work until they could pay an attorney and 
file for asylum. Finally, after saving up more money, they were 
able to move out of the shelter and into their new apartment in 
October 2023.
    Carla benefited from welcoming services, but says she could 
have moved out of the shelter sooner with access to legal 
assistance, rental assistance, and case management. A licensed 
cosmetologist in Venezuela, Carla has opened a cosmetology 
business in her new home, and hopes to expand to hire workers 
and give back to her new community. This April, Carla filed 
taxes for the first time, and is putting her newly minted work 
permit to good use. And she is grateful to this country for all 
that it has given her.
    People seeking safety don't damage our communities. They 
make them more vibrant and help our economies grow. I encourage 
Congress to invest in solutions that uphold the dignity and 
human rights of all of our communities, both those who have 
called the United States home for generations and those 
arriving to our borders with dreams. Thank you.

    [The prepared statement of Ms. Fischer follows:]
   Prepared Statement of Amy Fischer, Director, Refugee and Migrant 
                   Rights, Amnesty International USA

    On behalf of Amnesty International USA and our members and 
supporters in the United States, I am grateful to the Chair Gosar and 
Ranking Member Stansbury, for the invitation to provide testimony in 
the hearing entitled, ``Destroying America's Best Idea: Biden's Border 
Crisis, Desecrating National Park Lands and Damaging Communities'' on 
June 13, 2024.
    Amnesty International is a Nobel Prize-winning global human rights 
organization committed to fighting for the human rights of all people--
no matter who they are or where they are. Amnesty is the world's oldest 
and largest global grassroots human rights organization, and as the 
U.S. section of the organization, we have members and activists in all 
50 states. Our members are part of a larger global movement of 10 
million people in 150 countries.
    Our vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the 
human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and 
other international human rights instruments. On December 10, 1948, the 
United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of 
Human Rights (UDHR). Article 14 of the UDHR states that everyone has 
the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from 
persecution. Enshrined in international and domestic law, the right to 
seek asylum is a bedrock of refugee protection. Under the 1951 
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, of which the United 
States was a key drafter, and its 1967 Protocol, the latter of which 
the U.S. incorporated into domestic law through the 1980 Refugee Act, 
governments must uphold the right to seek asylum. The U.S. government 
codified in domestic law the right to seek asylum both at and between 
ports-of-entry along the U.S. border.
    Further, Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 
establishes that ``everyone has the right to a standard of living 
adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, 
including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social 
services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, 
sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in 
circumstances beyond his control.'' That right extends to all people, 
regardless of their immigration status.
    As the Director of Refugee and Migrant Rights at Amnesty 
International USA, a key aspect of my role is working to ensure the 
United States is upholding these human rights obligations regarding the 
treatment of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, both at its borders 
and within the interior of the U.S. And while I am here today in my 
professional capacity, the decision to leave someone's home in order to 
seek safety is a deeply personal one. Like so many other Americans 
across the United States, my family came to the United States 
generations ago to seek protection from persecution. And in my personal 
capacity, I have committed myself to welcoming the new generation of 
people seeking safety, as I am also a proud cofounder and organizer of 
Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid, an organization of hundreds of 
volunteers and dozens of community organizations and faith institutions 
that came together in April 2022 to welcome asylum seekers arriving to 
the District of Columbia on buses sent by Texas Governor Abbott. Since 
our founding, we have welcomed thousands of people seeking safety in 
our community. In 2023 alone, over 1,800 adults and nearly 1,300 
children came to access our free store located in a nearby church so 
newly arrived families could access supplies such as clothes, diapers, 
and shoes; our volunteers assisted with school enrollment for nearly 
600 youth; our successful rent support program allowed us to jump-start 
new apartments for 50 families; and our furniture team obtained beds, 
couches, tables, chairs, and kitchen supplies for nearly 350 migrant 
families. Our medical programs have supported over 100 newly arrived 
children with their dental needs, over 80 adults and children with 
optometry care, and our perinatal support group has welcomed over 50 
new babies to our community. We have led legal clinics to help hundreds 
of families apply for asylum, apply for Temporary Protected Status, and 
work permits. Over 50 children attended our summer camp programs last 
summer, and just this past weekend, our volunteers held a community 
baseball event with newly arrived youngsters in the community. Our vast 
volunteer network consists of people from all walks of life, who spend 
their free time showing a warm welcome to their new neighbors.
    I have personally spent my weekends, early mornings, and evenings 
welcoming new arrivals off buses, helping new arrivals fill out 
immigration applications, sorting and distributing donations with my 
children, and delivering furniture and household goods to my new 
neighbors. And for the final weeks of 2023 and the first few weeks of 
2024, my family and I provided shelter in our home for an asylum-
seeking family from Venezuela who was left on the streets during the 
cold DC winter after being denied shelter by DC Mayor Bowser's Office 
of Migrant Services that had in place a 3-night shelter limit at the 
time for migrants. My two boys shared a room for a few weeks, while 
this beautiful 1-year old girl and her sweet parents stayed in our 
home, shared meals with us, and became an extension of our family until 
they were able to get an apartment of their own a few miles away. It is 
through this personal experience that I know the joys and the strength 
that welcoming people with dignity can bring to our communities. And it 
is in my capacity as the Director of Refugee and Migrant Rights at 
Amnesty International USA, that I also know that it is the United 
States obligation to do so under international human rights and refugee 
law.
    As the number of people fleeing violence and persecution continues 
to grow, protecting the human rights of migrants, asylum seekers and 
refugees is of critical importance. The dangerous circumstances facing 
people fleeing persecution, and those forced by violence, economic 
hardship and the climate crisis to journey across borders, continue to 
be one of the United States' most serious human rights concerns. Large 
numbers of migrants and refugees from across the world continue to make 
perilous journeys through Mexico in order to come to the United States 
to seek protection. As of the end of September 2023, over 114 million 
people were forcibly displaced worldwide.\1\ In 2023, over 2.5 million 
asylum seekers and migrants entered the United States at the US-Mexico 
border.\2\ The United States was the world's largest recipient of new 
asylum claims as of June 2023, with 540,600 new individual claims 
submitted.\3\ The majority of asylum claims were made by individuals 
from Latin America and the Caribbean, notably Venezuela, Cuba, 
Nicaragua, Colombia, Honduras and Haiti.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ UNHRC Press Release, 25 October 2023, https://www.unhcr.org/us/
news/press-releases/unhcr-forced-displacement-continues-grow-conflicts-
escalate?_gl=1*12bi9yz*_rup_ga*MTQxMDky 
NjU3Ny4xNzE3OTU0OTgz*_rup_ga_EVDQTJ4LMY*MTcxNzk1NDk4My4xLjAuMTcxNzk1NDk 
4My42MC4wLjA, last accessed 9 June 2024.
    \2\ CBP, ``Southwest Land Border Encounters'', 22 March 2024, 
cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/southwest-land-border-encounters.
    \3\ UNHCR, Mid-Year Trends 2023 (previously cited), p. 2; DHS, 
``Refugees and Asylees Annual Flow Report'', dhs.gov/ohss/topics/
immigration/refugees-asylees-afr.
    \4\ UNHCR, Mid-Year Trends 2023 (previously cited), p. 24; UNHCR, 
Global Trends--Forced Displacement in 2022, 14 June 2023, unhcr.org/
global-trends-report-2022, p. 30.
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    Amnesty International has documented the conditions in these 
countries that force people to flee. In Venezuela, lack of access to 
economic and social rights is a serious concern, with the majority of 
the population experiencing severe food insecurity. Critics of 
President Maduro's government are arbitrarily detained, forcibly 
disappeared and tortured with the acquiescence of the judicial system. 
The UN Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela exposed crimes against 
humanity, called for investigations into the state's repressive 
policies, and noted a lack of compliance with previous recommendations. 
Millions of Venezuelans have fled their country, and those who have 
been deported to the country have faced arbitrary arrest.
    In Cuba, Amnesty International has documented how repression of 
dissent has led to activists, political opponents and journalists being 
harassed, persecuted and imprisoned. Cuba has faced an ongoing economic 
and humanitarian crisis resulting in shortages of food, fuel and 
electricity, while discrimination against minority groups is prevalent, 
affecting Afro-descendants, women and girls, LGBTQI people, and members 
of religious communities.
    While in Haiti, decades of political instability, extreme poverty, 
natural disasters, the weakening of state institutions and the lack of 
real engagement from the international community, has left the 
population at risk of violence. The recent escalation of violence has 
reached alarming levels, with reports of dozens of deaths, kidnappings, 
sexual violence against women and girls, and the forced displacement of 
more than 35,000 people since the beginning of 2024.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \5\ UN, Haiti se encuentra al borde de una hambruna, https://
news.un.org/es/story/2024/03/1528312.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    These situations demonstrate what are the drivers that force people 
to flee their homes, and the United States has both domestic and 
international obligations to provide access to territory and to 
individualized and fair assessments of all requests for protection by 
asylum seekers looking for safety at the border, in a way that does not 
discriminate based on migration status, including the manner of 
entry.\6\ According to the United Nations High Commissioner for 
Refugees (UNHCR), ``access to a fair and efficient refugee status 
determination procedure is an essential element in the full and 
inclusive application of the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol, and 
indeed a safeguard to protect refugees and asylum seekers from 
refoulement,'' which is the forcible return of an individual to a 
country where they would be at risk of serious human rights violations 
(such as persecution or torture).\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \6\ UNHCR, Advisory Opinion on the Extraterritorial Application of 
Non-Refoulement Obligations under the 1951 Convention relating to the 
Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, 26 January 2007, unhcr.org/
refworld/docid/45f17a1a4.html, para. 7; UNHCR, ``Comments of the United 
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on the Proposed Rule from the 
U.S. Department of Justice (Executive Office for Immigration Review) 
and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (U.S. Citizenship and 
Immigration Services): ``Circumvention of Lawful Pathways'', CIS No. 
2736-22, DHS Docket No. USCIS 2022-0016, A.G. Order No. 5605-2023, 20 
March 2023, refworld.org/pdfid/6417e6674.pdf, pp. 4-5; Amnesty 
International, Mandatory Use of CBP One Application Violates the Right 
to Seek Asylum (previously cited), pp. 7-9; Amnesty International, 
``They Did Not Treat Us Like People'' (previously cited), p. 18.
    \7\ UNHCR, ``Comments of the UNHCR on the Proposed Rule from the 
U.S. Department of Justice'' (previously cited), p. 3.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In accordance with Title 8 of the US Code, any individual who is 
physically present in the United States or who arrives at the border 
must be given an opportunity to seek asylum.\8\ Nevertheless, in recent 
years, the United States has implemented a series of migration and 
asylum policies which have drastically limited access to asylum at the 
U.S.-Mexico border, resulting in irreparable harm to thousands of 
individuals seeking safety from persecution or serious human rights 
violations in their countries of origin.\9\ These include ``metering'', 
the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), Title 42 and currently the 
Circumvention of Lawful Pathways Final Rule and President Biden's 
latest executive proclamation and interim final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \8\ 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1158(a); American Immigration Council, Metering 
and Asylum Turnbacks, March 2021, americanimmigrationcouncil.org/sites/
default/files/research/metering_and_asylum_ turnbacks_0.pdf, p. 1.
    \9\ Amnesty International, Americas: Pushback Practices and their 
Impact on the Human Rights of Migrants and Refugees (AMR 01/3658/2021) 
8 February 2021, amnesty.org/en/documents/amr01/3658/2021/en/, p. 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Amnesty International released research last month on the human 
rights concerns raised by President Biden's Circumvention of Lawful 
Pathways Final Rule and the CBP One Mobile application, particularly 
its mandatory use for people seeking asylum to schedule appointments to 
present themselves at U.S. ports of entry in order to present their 
asylum claims.\10\ The investigation, conducted by Amnesty 
International across various locations in Mexico and the U.S., involved 
interviews with hundreds of asylum seekers, service providers and local 
and international organizations. Amnesty International found that 
people seeking asylum experience challenges using the application due 
to an onerous registration process, technological errors and flaws and 
lack of knowledge about the application and how it works. Amnesty 
International also found that asylum seekers traveling through Mexico 
are extorted, kidnapped and experience discrimination and sexual and 
gender-based violence by both state and non-state actors. The majority 
stay in shelters or informal encampments with inadequate living 
conditions. People seeking asylum struggle to access healthcare, 
education and employment opportunities. There is no certainty as to 
when people seeking asylum will receive a CBP One appointment, which 
ends up leaving them exposed to violence and hardship for potentially 
long periods of time and pushes them to cross into the United States 
irregularly, due to a lack of alternatives.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \10\ Amnesty International, CBP One--A Blessing or a Trap, https://
www.amnestyusa.org/reports/cbp-one-a-blessing-or-a-trap/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Importantly, the last decade of deterrence policies has not stopped 
people from coming. Why? Because deterrence policies don't work. 
Instead, they force people to make more dangerous routes to come to the 
U.S. and fuel criminal actors in Mexico who have constantly adapted to 
U.S. border policies to exploit and endanger people seeking safety. As 
a response, border resources are instead spread thin across all areas 
of the border, rather than allowing people to ask for protection in a 
dignified, orderly fashion. In recent years, policies have forced 
people to wait in Mexico until they have an opportunity to come to the 
U.S., further exacerbating the targeting and violence against people 
seeking safety in Mexico, particularly Black and Indigenous people. The 
extortion and criminal targeting of migrants in Mexico at the border 
has had lasting effects even when people make it to their new 
communities in the United States. People are spending their last cent 
and tapping out the resources of their family and friend networks in 
order to survive in Mexico, so that once they arrive in the United 
States, they are more likely to arrive indigent.
    Amnesty International has recommended time and time again that the 
United States must modernize and invest in capacity at ports of entry 
in order to allow people to walk up in a safe, orderly manner and be 
processed expeditiously. The United States must invest CBP's Office of 
Field Operations to capacitate and staff ports of entry along the 
border to quickly and effectively process people seeking safety without 
having to wait in Mexico or be denied access to ports and expand the 
number of appointment available in the CBP One mobile application. 
Amnesty encourages the U.S. to end policies that punish asylum seekers 
for their manner of entry and instead invest in programs so people can 
proceed with their asylum claims in communities supported by lawyers, 
social workers, and community.
    Border walls, mass surveillance, and detention centers are billion-
dollar industries that have profited from U.S. border policies while 
communities across the country are struggling to provide adequate 
housing, schooling, health, and care for their residents--both new 
arrivals and community members that have been here for generations. And 
yet, the lack of federal support for coordinated and comprehensive 
reception of asylum seekers is jeopardizing the viability of the entire 
U.S. asylum system--and the U.S.'s ability to uphold its obligations to 
protect people seeking safety regardless of their connections in the 
United States. It benefits nobody for asylum seekers to find themselves 
on the streets of our border communities and big cities with nowhere to 
go. Communities across the United States receiving newcomers could 
benefit from an orderly system of support.
    Cities at the border and the interior of the United States, 
struggle under the weight of new arrivals not because of new arrivals 
are a burden, but because communities are left to build up reception 
systems largely without federal coordination. The situation in New York 
City was a perfect storm of high numbers of new arrivals, exacerbated 
by Governor Abbott's busing program, and an arriving population of 
people seeking safety who did not already have family or community in 
the United States able to receive them. The United States' ability to 
provide protection for someone seeking safety should not depend on 
whether or not they have existing relationships in the United States 
who can provide for their socio-economic needs.
    The sheltering of people seeking safety at Floyd Bennett Field was 
an example of where systems collapse when they fail to meet the needs 
of communities and of new arrivals. As New York City was struggling to 
respond to high numbers of new arrivals, there was a lack of focus on 
case management focused on resilience and financial independence, 
housing, and job programs to help get the new arrivals out of the 
shelters and into their new homes. Limited access to work permits and 
processing delays further exacerbated the issue by limiting new 
arrivals' ability to begin working and providing for their families. 
This led to the shelter population outpacing capacity in New York City, 
and the city finding far more remote and inaccessible places to shelter 
its new residents. In this instance, it is asylum seekers and New 
Yorkers bearing the brunt of the consequences of failed border 
policies.
    Instead, a coordinated and funded welcome and reception system that 
meets the immediate and medium-term need of people seeking safety would 
cut the chaos and disfunction at the border and in big cities in the 
U.S., while state, local and tribal communities reap the windfall 
benefits of new federal funding avenues, spending power of new 
arrivals, and new tax revenue. Local governments and community 
organizations at the border have been working for years to build a 
welcoming infrastructure that eases capacity restraints on border 
agencies, prevents releases into the streets of border cities, educates 
new arrivals about their immigration responsibilities, and helps them 
stay off the streets and get connected to their friends, families, and 
new communities in the United States. And across the country, programs 
that provide people seeking safety with access to case management, 
legal assistance, and social services have been proven to be more cost 
effective than expensive detention programs, help people leave costly 
shelter systems and into homes of their own, and ensure people are able 
to comply with their immigration requirements. Further, new arrivals 
can meet the unmet needs of local economies, fill labor shortages, and 
greatly contribute to their new communities in ways that benefit all 
residents--both new and old.
    A recent study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
found that from 2005 to 2019, resettled refugees and people granted 
asylum in the U.S. contributed billions more in federal, state, and 
local government revenues than they received in services.\11\ Newly 
arrived immigrants can be a boon to local economies as economists have 
estimated that for every 1,000 newly arrived workers, initial state and 
local tax revenues are expected to increase by $2.5 million.\12\ After 
these immigrants have been there for about five years, this same model 
predicts that for each 1,000 workers annual wages to be $32 million and 
state and local tax revenues would be $3.6 million.\13\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \11\ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, The Fiscal 
Impact of Refugees and Asylees at the Federal, State, and Local Levels 
from 2005 to 2019, https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/
28fe4e756499bdab08b4e6cb3b952e22/aspe-report-refugee-fiscal-impact.pdf
    \12\ Immigration Research Initiative, Economic Projections for 
Asylum Seekers and New Immigrants: U.S. and State-Level Data, https://
immresearch.org/publications/economic-projections-for-asylum-seekers-
and-new-immigrants-u-s-and-50-states/
    \13\ Id.
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    Extensive evidence-based international research has demonstrated 
that case management programs, when appropriately implemented, are the 
most successful form of supporting people navigating the immigration 
process.\14\ And legal representation is a critical path to ensure 
immigrants show up to court and comply with its requirements, help new 
arrivals get immigration relief, and unburden the courts by speeding up 
processing.\15\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \14\ International Detention Coalition, Gaining Ground: Promising 
Practice to Reduce and End Immigration Detention, https://
idcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Gaining-Ground-Report-
2022.pdf
    \15\ Vera Institute of Justice, The Case for Universal 
Representation, https://www.vera.org/advancing-universal-
representation-toolkit/the-case-for-universal-representation-1
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The path forward is a system of coordinated support services that 
can ease the pressure at the border and enable newcomers to contribute 
to the communities who receive them. Specifically, Congress should 
robustly fund the Shelter and Services Program that provides financial 
support to local governments and community organizations to offer 
immediate reception services to people seeking safety; expand the Case 
Management Pilot Program to provide a voluntary, case management 
program to people seeking safety; and establish and fund a Destination 
Reception Fund to send federal dollars to state, local, and tribal 
communities to establish and expand medium-term reception programs that 
promote self-sufficiency of newcomers and bolsters local capacity to 
ensure new and old community members have what they need to thrive. The 
United States should also direct a whole of government approach to 
welcome that includes a new White House position and a new DHS office 
to coordinate intra-agency and inter-governmental efforts to welcome 
people seeking safety. The U.S. can no longer do this in a piecemeal, 
uncoordinated fashion.
    For too many years, Congress has poured billions of taxpayer 
dollars into immigration enforcement-only responses to people seeking 
safety that have failed to meet the needs of newcomers--and has also 
left cities, counties, and community organizations to foot the bill--
and face the human consequences--of providing support in the resulting 
chaos. Coordinated support services are cheaper than expensive 
detention programs and help state, local, and tribal governments and 
nonprofits better balance their budgets and services between newcomers 
and long-term community members.
    I would like to close with the story of Karla. Karla arrived to the 
United States from Venezuela with her husband and two children to seek 
safety, security, and a new life in October 2022. Karla arrived with no 
sponsors in the United States who could house her, but had some 
community already in Washington, DC. When Karla and her family arrived 
at an under-resourced border town after being released from processing 
with the Department of Homeland Security, she had little choice but to 
take a free bus paid for by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to New York 
City. Upon arriving in New York, Karla and her family were greeted by 
city officials and nongovernmental organizations who received and fed 
her family, provided overnight accommodations, and assistance getting 
tickets to Washington, DC. With a more coordinated reception system, 
Karla could have gone straight to her destination community.
    When Karla and her family arrived in Washington, DC, they were 
provided shelter in a single hotel room with no kitchen for a year--
while Karla and her husband found under-the-table work until they could 
hire an attorney, file for asylum, and eventually get their work 
permits. Finally, after saving up more money and receiving rental 
assistance from Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid, Karla's family was able 
to move out of the shelter and into their new apartment in October 
2023. Karla benefited from welcoming services both at the border and in 
New York City and says she could have moved out of the D.C. shelter 
sooner with earlier access to legal assistance, rental assistance, and 
case management aimed at resiliency. Karla, a licensed cosmetologist in 
Venezuela, has opened a cosmetology business in her new home and hopes 
to expand to be able to hire more workers and give back to her new 
community. This past April, Karla filed taxes for the first time in the 
United States and is putting her newly minted work permit to good use. 
She says that this is the first time that she's been able to pay rent 
and provide for her family, a dream come true for her, and she's 
grateful to this country for all that it has given her.
    Newcomers don't damage our communities; they make them brighter and 
more vibrant and help our economies grow. Families across the United 
States are struggling to make ends meet while they see billions of 
their taxpayer dollars fuel policies at the border that have created 
heartbreaking humanitarian crises and chaos everywhere from small towns 
to big cities. Brave, resilient families and individuals are arriving 
at the U.S. southern border to exercise their right to seek safety and 
seek a new life where they follow their dreams and contribute to their 
new communities only to be thrust into a broken system that profits off 
their suffering. The United States is abandoning decades old 
international obligations to uphold the human right to seek asylum and 
not send people back to the very harms that they fled. Decades of 
Congressional inaction, pitting of communities against each other, and 
political mudslinging have failed to produce any solutions that work 
for communities--neither those who have called the United States home 
for generations or those arriving at our borders with dreams. Amnesty 
International USA encourages Congress to instead invest in solutions 
that uphold the safety and dignity of all our communities.
    Thank you, again, to the subcommittee for the opportunity to 
testify.

                                 ______
                                 

 Questions Submitted for the Record to Amy Fischer, Director, Refugee 
             and Migrant Rights, Amnesty International USA

              Questions Submitted by Representative Gosar

    Question 1. In your written testimony, you say, ``There was a lack 
of focus on case management focused on resilience and financial 
independence, housing, and job programs to help get the new arrivals 
out of the shelters and into their new homes.'' Why was that the case?

    Answer. Case Management programs connect people seeking safety to 
the tools and resources they need to settle into their new communities, 
enroll their children in schools, start providing for themselves so 
they can leave costly shelter programs, comply with their immigration 
requirements, and begin contributing to their new communities. These 
programs should be implemented by nonprofit entities like faith, 
ethnic, and community-based organizations or resettlement agencies that 
have experience with helping newly arrived refugees settle into their 
new communities. When New York City started receiving high numbers of 
newly arrived asylum seekers, officials focused on building out an 
emergency structure to receive new arrivals, but failed to invest in 
the types of programs and services that would then help people be able 
to exit shelters, work, and live dependently. For example, in 2023, the 
NYC government signed a $432 million contract with DocGo, a private 
medical services provider with no prior experience caring for asylum 
seekers, to house and care for new arrivals in NYC shelters. It was 
only in April 2024, that NYC then ended that contract with DocGo amid 
reports of abuse and mismanagement and began seeking contracting 
services from ``nonprofits and internationally recognized resettlement 
providers.'' Amnesty International USA believes that had the City 
instead made these investments in 2022 when it began to receive high 
numbers of people seeking safety in its shelter system, it could have 
jumpstarted new arrivals' ability to leave shelters and make space for 
newer arrivals and prevented the resulting ballooning of the shelter 
population.

    Question 2. In your written testimony, you talk about how New 
Yorkers and Asylum Seekers are bearing the brunt of failed border 
policies. What policies that are currently in place have failed?

    Answer. For years, Congress has poured billions of taxpayer dollars 
into border policies aimed at deterring migration including but not 
limited to militarization, externalization of borders, widespread use 
of immigration detention, and expedited removals. On June 4, the Biden 
Administration issued a ``Presidential Proclamation to Suspend and 
Limit Entry and Joint DHS-DOJ Interim Final Rule to Restrict Asylum 
During High Encounters at the Southern Border'' which Amnesty 
International USA considers to violate the US obligations under 
international human rights and refugee law. This new proclamation adds 
to the Biden Administration's Circumvention of Lawful Pathways Final 
Rule. These current policies require people to use the CBP One 
application to seek asylum in the United States, and the fact that it 
is only possible to apply for appointments from central to northern 
Mexico means that asylum seekers must now wait in Mexico for 
undetermined amounts of time while they apply for CBP One appointments. 
Amnesty International found that asylum seekers traveling through 
Mexico are often extorted, kidnapped and experience discrimination and 
sexual and gender-based violence by both state and non-state actors. 
Increasing wait times for CBP One appointments and uncertainty about 
when people seeking asylum will be given an appointment, compounded by 
the dangerous and difficult situation in Mexico, and Mexican 
authorities blocking access to ports of entry has forced many asylum 
seekers to make the difficult decision to cross into the United States 
without a CBP One appointment, and under current policy, they will be 
removed without access to asylum. Because people are tapping out their 
resources in order to survive in Mexico, they are arriving to cities 
like New York without even the most basic of resources. Alternatively, 
a coordinated system that upholds human rights and invests in systems 
that welcome people seeking safety would save tax payer dollars while 
easing pressure at the border, and enabling newcomers to contribute to 
the communities who receive them.

    Question 3. Do you believe that one of the reasons why New Yorkers 
and Asylum Seekers bear the brunt of these failed policies was because 
of poor planning by the Biden Administration in the execution of Floyd 
Bennett Field?

    Answer. The Biden Administration struggled to adopt a coordinated 
national response to welcome high numbers of asylum seekers, and 
instead, ceded the strategy to Governor Abbott's Operation Lone Star 
busing program which bused thousands of people seeking safety without 
existing ties to the United States to New York City, as well as 
Washington D.C., Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles. Amnesty believes 
that an Office of Reception Coordination tasked with leading a whole-
of-government response to mobilize federal agencies and serving as a 
liaison to receiving communities and programs welcoming people seeking 
safety would instead prevent Floyd Bennett Field from becoming a 
necessity. This coordinating office would facilitate cooperation across 
federal agencies, share timely information with states and localities 
to better plan responses and ensure efficient use of resources, and 
help government and nongovernmental service providers navigate and 
access available federal resources.

    Question 4. According to the U.N., the massive numbers of deaths 
and disappearances of migrants on the U.S.-Mexico border has made it 
the deadliest land migration route for migrants worldwide. Meanwhile, 
the cartels are exploiting migrants seeking to enter the U.S., 
demanding thousands of dollars per migrant, and in some instances 
forcing migrants into cartel labor. Ms. Fischer, would you agree that 
an unprecedented humanitarian crisis has unfolded at the Southern 
Border under the President Biden?

    Answer. Amnesty International and our colleagues at other prominent 
human rights organizations have long documented the human rights 
consequences of deterrence policies on the safety of asylum seekers in 
Mexico, spanning presidential administrations. Amnesty International 
has documented how asylum seekers traveling through the country face 
the serious risk of being extorted, kidnapped and experiencing 
discrimination and sexual and gender based violence by both state and 
non-state actors. According to a survey conducted by UNHCR and its 
partners in Mexico in 2023, 56% of those interviewed had been victims 
of violence during their transit through Mexico, while 42% experienced 
a violent incident on their journey prior to arriving in Mexico. 
Eighty-five percent of the migrants Doctors Without Borders (MSF) 
attended to in the first half of 2023 had been victims of intentional 
violence on their journey through Mexico. Following the end of Title 
42, there has been an increase in kidnappings of asylum seekers, 
especially on the routes to Matamoros, Reynosa and Piedras Negras, as 
well as in these cities. Amnesty International has documented incidents 
of asylum seekers who were kidnapped right outside of shelters, at bus 
terminals and from apartments that they were renting. Human Rights 
First has also extensively documented an increase in kidnappings of 
asylum seekers in Chihuahua, Matamoros and Reynosa. And a 2024 study by 
WOLA found that ``the kidnapping and extortion of migrants has 
increased notably since late 2023'' with ``many describ[ing] this 
moment as the worst period of violence they've seen, both in numbers 
and brutality.'' There has also been an increase in sexual and gender-
based violence committed against asylum seekers in Mexico. Medecins 
Sans Frontieres (MSF) reported a 70% increase in consultations for 
sexual violence in Reynosa and Matamoros in the last quarter of 2023 
compared with the third quarter of the same year.
    Amnesty International has found that the increase in violence 
targeting asylum seekers in Mexico is a result of deterrence policies 
that make it more difficult to seek safety and increase the penalties 
for doing so. Criminal actors have been nimble enough to respond to 
changing U.S. border policies, particularly the deterrence policies of 
the last decade that have been proven ineffective time and time again 
at reducing the number of people arriving to our borders. Even the 
extremely cruel practice of President Trump's family separation failed 
to deter people coming to the US--by the end of 2018, the number of 
families and children coming to the border was going up again. What 
deterrence policies do accomplish is increase violence facing migrants 
along the border, fuel private companies who profit off detention in 
the U.S. and criminal actors in Mexico who profit off of at-risk 
families seeking safety.

    Question 5. We know that not all people crossing the border enter 
for malicious purposes. Some are families. However, government agencies 
such as the Border Patrol and DEA confirm that the Mexican cartels 
exploit our open Southern Border and the migrant crisis to smuggle 
massive amounts of fentanyl into the U.S., now found in every community 
in our nation. Not to mention the cartel's human trafficking trade, 
which forces young men and women into terrible lives of cartel labor 
and crime. What do you believe is the appropriate solution for 
President Biden's crisis at the Southern Border, that will end the 
cartels' rampant abuse of our immigration system?

    Answer. Fentanyl is smuggled into the United States by U.S. 
Citizens who do so at U.S. ports of entry, not between ports of entry. 
Furthermore, only .02% of people who have crossed into the United 
States between ports of entry possessed any fentanyl. There is simply 
no factual connection between the people arriving to our borders to 
seek safety and the issue of fentanyl impacting communities across the 
United States. The United States should adopt public health solutions 
to address the addiction issues facing people struggling with drug use 
rather than placing the blame at the feet of people seeking safety. 
Furthermore, Congress should fund CBP's Office of Field Operations to 
capacitate and staff ports of entry along the border to quickly and 
effectively process people seeking safety without having to wait in 
Mexico or be denied access to ports. Such an investment would allow 
border agents to focus on intercepting the fentanyl brought to the 
United States by U.S. citizens at ports rather than being diverted to 
respond to humanitarian issues across the border.

    Question 6. On June 4, 2024, you tweeted out, ``@POTUS just 
announced his most restrictive border policy to date--a first of its 
kind cap on asylum using the same legal authority Trump used for the 
Muslim Ban. Children and families who fled their homes in search of 
safety will now be stranded and in danger.'' Has President Biden failed 
our nation regarding immigration?

    Answer. Amnesty International USA is a human rights organization 
that is dedicated to ensuring the United States abides by its 
international human rights obligations and does not determine if any 
president has ``failed'' or not. Amnesty has long documented U.S. 
immigration policies that violate human rights spanning multiple 
presidential administrations.

    Question 7. Does President Biden currently have the authority to 
resolve some of the issues you see contributing to the humanitarian 
crisis through executive action?

    Answer. Yes. Amnesty International has called upon the Biden 
Administration to reverse course on both his most recent Presidential 
Proclamation as well as the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways Final 
Rule. We have also called upon the Biden Administration to expand 
humanitarian pathways to the United States, expand the number of 
appointments available in the CBP One mobile application and ensure 
that it is not mandatory, end all policies that punish asylum seekers 
for their manner of entry, and invest in programs so people can proceed 
with their asylum claims in communities supported by lawyers, social 
workers, and community, not in costly, abusive cages or detention 
centers.

    Question 8. The Floyd Bennett Field Migrant Camp is a flailing 
effort by the Biden Administration to deal with the Southern Border 
crisis of their own creation. Unsurprisingly, we have received near 
constant reports of increasing crime at the Camp and in surrounding 
communities, displaced migrant families, and unsafe living conditions. 
For these reasons, the migrants themselves do not want to reside at 
Floyd Bennet Field. Do you believe that the Floyd Bennett Field 
encampment was a mistake? That it should not have been done?

    Answer. Amnesty International USA has not independently visited 
Floyd Bennett Field to verify the above. However, as noted in my 
answers above and in my testimony, we strongly believe that with better 
federal coordination and city and state authorities investing earlier 
in evidence-based case management, the situation at Floyd Bennett Field 
could have been avoided.

    Question 9. What do you believe led to the rise in crime in New 
York City following the opening of Floyd Bennett Field?

    Answer. There has been no rise in crime in New York City. In fact, 
since April 2022 when New York City first started receiving high 
numbers of newly arrived people seeking safety, the overall crime rate 
in New York City has remained flat, and as the New York Times reported, 
``many major categories of crime--including rape, murder, and 
shootings--have decreased, according to an analysis of New York Police 
Department's month-by-month statistics since April 2022.''

    Question 10. What do you believe led to the rise in crime in New 
York City following the opening of Floyd Bennett Field?

    Answer. There has been no rise in crime in New York City. In fact, 
since April 2022 when New York City first started receiving high 
numbers of newly arrived people seeking safety, the overall crime rate 
in New York City has remained flat, and as the New York Times reported, 
``many major categories of crime--including rape, murder, and 
shootings--have decreased, according to an analysis of New York Police 
Department's month-by-month statistics since April 2022.''

            Questions Submitted by Representative Stansbury

    Question 1. Republicans claim that the influx of migrants into the 
United States is responsible for a surge in violent crime in New York 
City and nationwide. Is there any evidence to support this claim?

    Answer. No, there is no evidence that supports the notion that 
migrants or asylum seekers increase crime in their communities. As 
noted above, crime rates in New York City have stayed flat since the 
city started receiving high numbers of new arrivals. Moreover, violent 
crime in New York City has decreased over this period of time. This 
data also holds nationally and over time. In 2023, researchers at 
Stanford University found that immigrants are 60% less likely than 
those born in the US to be incarcerated. Researchers from the Marshall 
Project also looked at the connection between undocumented immigrants 
and crime and found that there was no link between crime rates and 
undocumented populations.

    Thank you again for the opportunity to testify and respond to these 
additional questions for the record.

                                 ______
                                 

    Dr. Gosar. Thank you very much, Ms. Fischer. And now, Ms. 
Morrissey, you are recognized for 5 minutes.

  STATEMENT OF ELIZABETH MORRISSEY, PRESIDENT, MADISON MARINE 
      PARK HOMECREST CIVIC ASSOCIATION, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

    Ms. Morrissey. Good morning, Chairman Gosar and Ranking 
Member. Thank you for inviting me to testify today. My name is 
Elizabeth Morrissey, a civic leader from Marine Park Madison 
Homecrest Civic Association, a community in South Brooklyn 
where Floyd Bennett Field is located. I am also a retired New 
York City Police Department lieutenant, and have lived in the 
area for 52 years.
    As you are aware, the state and the city sought assistance 
from the Federal Government through the Department of the 
Interior to house thousands of migrants at Floyd Bennett Field. 
As local civic leaders and residents, we were told the city had 
no other options. Floyd Bennett Field is a national park with 
significant historic value to our community. If you have not 
visited, you would also understand that the park has provided a 
lot of resources, including things like aviation club and 
outdoor spaces for our residents and visitors. That being said, 
it does not have proper infrastructure for housing people.
    When we first heard the rumors of this lease being signed 
between the National Park Service and the City of New York, as 
involved citizens we tried to find an official way to make our 
voices heard. However, we were repeatedly denied our community. 
When we tried to explain the challenges of Floyd Bennett Field, 
including the fact that it lacks infrastructure and it is 
located on a floodplain, we were ignored.
    Instead, the city chose to prioritize the rights of 
sheltering migrants at this site. In particular, my question 
is, where do the rights of migrants end and our rights begin as 
taxpayers?
    If you were at Floyd Bennett Field today, you would realize 
quickly that you are not allowed access to the migrant camp 
unless you are a migrant. As a taxpayer and local civic leader, 
I have no right to enter the shelter. Even local NYPD officers 
have difficulty entering the site when called without first 
being approved by hired private security. However, migrants can 
enter our community with little to no documentation and stay in 
the camp, which houses families, particularly all without 
documentation you and I would need to get basic driver's 
licenses.
    It is not humane to house thousands and thousands of 
migrants in a flood zone. Remember Sandy? We were under water. 
One storm over the past few months was so bad the city had to 
evacuate the migrants and move them to a local high school gym, 
James Madison, for shelter, which resulted in the school being 
closed the next day to our kids. Is that right? Is it right and 
humane for our community to observe migrant children, sometimes 
accompanied and sometimes not, with parents begging and selling 
candy and fruit on the Flatbush Avenue median between our four 
lanes of traffic on each side? The children are sometimes doing 
it during school hours.
    Floyd Bennett is the very end of the Brooklyn. So, kids 
have to be bussed all over the school to attend. No one is 
enforcing that right.
    The community also has to avoid migrants from jumping in 
front of cars while driving. Migrants are trying to get hit or 
say they were hit to demand money, or they will call the 
police. The scheme has been reported on several news 
publications as recently as last week. Is that right?
    Basic errands to local businesses have become torturous 
between begging and shopping, parking lots, and aggressive 
panhandling of migrants to carry packages for money. Home Depot 
and Lowe's parking lots are full of migrants, causing fear to 
our elderly and angering others. Our community members are just 
trying to run simple errands on their days off from work for 
their families. Is that right?
    There are videos of large fights breaking out in Floyd 
Bennett. There are domestic calls putting a greater strain on 
our first responders. Our city agencies are already low on 
manpower. The state cannot house thousands and thousands of 
migrants in close quarters, basically like caged animals, and 
think violence will not happen. Is that right?
    Again, the worst part is the children are being used by 
migrant parents to follow delivery trucks and steal packages 
from the trucks, community stoops, and alleyways, ringing 
doorbells, asking for money. Is that right?
    Our local stores have migrants coming in and grabbing 
products, causing some to lock their doors. Our local stores 
are struggling already.
    The summer is coming. Is it humane to leave migrants on 
tarmacs in the blazing sun? Having visited Floyd Bennett prior 
to becoming a national park, once New York City's first 
airport, it serves as an incredible piece of history. But at 
the core, it is an aviation base. If our middle-class community 
sees how wrong and humane this is, I can't understand how the 
rest of the world, particularly officials from the city and 
state of New York, are blind to this.
    I will end with this. ``Things do not happen; things are 
made to happen,'' John F. Kennedy. Our state is making things 
happen that are not humane for anybody. If there is loss of 
life this year from violence or heat, the state and the city of 
New York made it happen.
    Thank you.

    [The prepared statement of Ms. Morrissey follows:]
Prepared Statement of Elizabeth Morrissey, civic leader from the Marine 
                Park/Madison/Homecrest Civic Association

    Good morning, Chairman Gosar and Ranking Member. Thank you for 
inviting me to testify today. My name is Elizabeth Morrissey, a civic 
leader from the Marine Park/Madison/Homecrest Civic Association, a 
community in Southern Brooklyn, where Floyd Bennett field is located. I 
am also a retired New York City Police Department Lieutenant, and have 
lived in the area for 52 years.
    As you are aware, the state and city sought assistance from the 
federal government, through the Department of the Interior, to house 
thousands of migrants at Floyd Bennett Field.
    As local civic leaders and residents, we were told the city had no 
other options. Floyd Bennett Field is a national park, with significant 
historic value to our community. If you have not visited, you would 
also understand that this park provided a lot of resources, including 
things like aviation club and outdoor spaces for our residents and 
visitors. That being said, it does not have proper infrastructure for 
housing people.
    When we first heard the rumors of this lease being signed between 
the National Park Service and the City of New York, as involved 
citizens, we tried to find an official way to make our voices heard. 
However, we were repeatedly denied. Our community when we tried to 
explain the challenges of Floyd Bennett Field, including the fact that 
it lacks infrastructure and is located on a floodplain, but we were 
ignored.
    Instead, the City chose to prioritize the rights of sheltering 
migrants at this site in particular. My question is, where do the 
rights of migrant's end, and our rights, as taxpayers, begin.
    If you were to visit Floyd Bennett Field today, you would realize 
quickly that you are not allowed access to the migrant camp, unless you 
are a migrant. As a taxpayer and local civic leader, I have no right to 
enter the shelter. Even local NYPD officers have had difficulty 
entering the site when called, without first being approved by hired 
private security. However, migrants can enter our community with little 
to no documentation, and stay in this camp, which houses, families, 
primarily, all without the documentation you or I would need to get a 
basic drivers license.
    Is it not humane to house thousands and thousands of migrants in a 
flood zone? Remember Sandy, we were under water? One storm over the 
past few months was so bad, the city had to evacuate the migrants and 
move them to our local high school's gym, James Madison for shelter, 
which resulted in the school being closed the next day to our kids. Is 
that right?
    Is it right and humane for our community to observe migrant 
children sometimes accompanied and sometimes not with their parents 
begging and selling candy and fruit on the Flatbush Ave median between 
four lanes of traffic on each side. The children are sometimes doing it 
during school hours. Floyd Bennett Field is at the very end of 
Brooklyn, so kids have to be bused all over the city to attend school, 
and no one is enforcing kids going to school. Is that right?
    The community has to avoid migrants from jumping in front of their 
cars while driving. Migrants are trying to get hit or say they were hit 
to demand money, or they will call the police. The scheme has been 
reported on by several news publications as recently as last week. Is 
that right?
    Basic errands to local business have become torturous between the 
begging in shopping parking lots and the aggressive panhandling of 
migrants to carry packages for money. Home Depot and Lowes parking lots 
are full of migrants causing fear to our elderly and anger to others. 
Our community members are trying to run simple errands on their days 
off from work for their families. Is that right?
    There are videos of large fights breaking out in Floyd Bennett 
Field, there are domestic calls, Emergency Medical Service calls, 
putting a greater strain on our first responders. Our city agencies are 
already low on manpower. The State and City cannot house thousands and 
thousands of migrants in close quarters, basically like caged animals 
and think violence will not happen. Is this right?
    Again, the worse part are the children who are being used by the 
migrant parents to follow delivery trucks and steal packages from the 
truck and the communities stoops and area ways. Ringing door bells 
asking for money. Is this right?
    Our local stores have migrants coming in and grabbing products, 
causing some to lock their doors. Our local stores are struggling 
already from the aftermaths of Covid. Kings Plaza has become a place 
migrants run into and steal merchandise while community members are 
shopping. Is this right?
    The summer is coming, is it humane to leave the migrants on the tar 
mats in the blazing sun. For those of you who haven't visited Floyd 
Bennett Field, prior to becoming a national park, was once New York 
City's first airport. It serves as an incredible piece of history, but 
at its core, is an aviation base.
    The specific area where the migrants camp is set up is on an old 
historic runway. This is not the ideal place to house thousands of 
people for months or even longer. Violence happened during the winter 
months, never mind what will happen when the temperatures rise in the 
summer months.
    If our middle-class community sees how wrong and inhumane this is, 
I cannot understand how the rest of the world particularly officials 
from the City and State of New York are blind to this.
    I will end with `' Things do not happen. Things are made to 
happen'' John F. Kennedy
    Our State is making things happen that are not humane for anybody, 
if there is loss of life this year from violence or heat, the State and 
City of New York made it happen.

                                 ______
                                 

    Dr. Gosar. Thank you very much for your comments. We are 
now going to go to Members' questions.
    First, Mr. Tiffany from Wisconsin.
    Mr. Tiffany. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    First of all, Mr. King, I want to say your question you 
pose is very good. Whose park is it next? Because I am 
concerned about the national lakeshore that we have in 
Wisconsin. Or is it going to be other national parks across our 
country that are going to be next?
    But I want to ask a question of Representative Williams. I 
see one of your statements here says, ``without any input from 
the surrounding communities.'' Is that correct, that the 
Federal Government didn't come in and coordinate with local 
communities and ask them, ``Is it OK to do this? How can we 
work out the logistics of making this happen?''
    Ms. Williams. There was absolutely no input, no 
communication whatsoever regarding Floyd Bennett Field to the 
residents of the Assembly District.
    Mr. Tiffany. Thank you.
    Ms. Fischer, do you think that the Federal Government 
should coordinate with local communities in situations like 
this, rather than leaving them shut out, as Representative 
Williams just said?
    Ms. Fischer. I wholeheartedly agree. I think when we are 
able to ensure that community members, local governments, and 
people can come together to work through solutions, then that 
is obviously ideal.
    Mr. Tiffany. So, you believe they should coordinate, right, 
Ms. Fischer?
    Ms. Fischer. Yes, sir.
    Mr. Tiffany. That they should coordinate. And you had 
referenced people fleeing violence and persecution in your 
testimony. Should we be allowing people to come into this 
country, we have had over 10 million, that are simply economic 
migrants?
    I have been to the border numerous times. I have been to 
Panama, down to the Darien Gap. Should people be allowed in as 
economic migrants?
    Ms. Fischer. I think the data actually shows a little bit 
of a different story. Over three-quarters of the people that 
file for asylum eventually are able to stay in the United 
States due to the fact that they are able to win their asylum 
cases or find other forms of relief. So, this notion that 
people that are arriving here are coming for purely economic 
reasons is not based in fact.
    Mr. Tiffany. The migrants that I actually talked to down on 
the border said, no, we just came here because the border was 
announced that it was open January 20, 2021. Do you believe 
they should be allowed in this country under our asylum laws?
    Ms. Fischer. I have been to the border numbers of times.
    Mr. Tiffany. Yes or no, should they be allowed in if they 
are simply economic migrants?
    Ms. Fischer. Everyone has a human right to seek asylum. It 
is up to the immigration courts to determine whether or not 
someone has a valid claim.
    Mr. Tiffany. I will take that as a yes.
    Is there anyone, Ms. Fischer, that should not be allowed 
into our country that wants to come into the United States from 
a foreign country?
    Ms. Fischer. The United States has the ability to enforce 
its borders. Amnesty International does not tell any country 
whether or not they should or should not be able to enforce 
their borders.
    Mr. Tiffany. So, there are some people that should be 
denied entry into our country. Is that what you are saying?
    Ms. Fischer. That is the position of the United States to 
figure out themselves. That cannot come at the expense of the 
United States' obligations to uphold the human right to seek 
asylum.
    Mr. Tiffany. You talked about our obligation under 
international law. Do you believe international law trumps 
American law?
    Ms. Fischer. No, sir, I do not, and that is why the United 
States has long established that seeking asylum is a human 
right under domestic law. In 1980, Congress passed the Refugee 
Act, which----
    Mr. Tiffany. But the law also says you have to prove that 
you are a refugee, correct?
    Ms. Fischer. No, sir. The law proves that people have the 
opportunity to seek asylum regardless of their manner of entry. 
And they have a process by which they are determined whether or 
not they have a way to stay.
    Mr. Tiffany. Which is the process of proving whether--yes, 
so it does say that under the law.
    Is it humane to have Americans' earnings reduced due to 
illegal immigrants coming to take their jobs? In the last jobs 
report, half of the jobs that are created here in America in 
this last jobs report are going to people who are here 
illegally. Is it humane to have Americans have their pay 
reduced as a result of the competition that is coming?
    Ms. Fischer. There is actually no evidence that shows that 
immigration has an impact on wages. The United States----
    Mr. Tiffany. Actually, there is, Ms. Fischer. If you go 
back to the previous administration, the people on the lowest 
economic strata, their wages were actually going up 
significantly.
    I want to get just a couple of other questions in. Should 
taxpayers have to pay for food for the people you are 
referencing?
    Ms. Fischer. What we know----
    Mr. Tiffany. Should taxpayers have to pay for shelter or 
rent for those people that are coming in?
    Ms. Fischer. Those types of programs are significantly less 
costly than the programs that we have in the moment that are 
very----
    Mr. Tiffany. Should they have to pay for attorneys for 
these people?
    Ms. Fischer. The right to counsel in court is a bedrock of 
our criminal justice system, and I believe it should be 
extended to those----
    Mr. Tiffany. So, should they have to pay for a gym 
membership? A person you are referencing, should they have to 
pay for a gym membership if someone requests it?
    Ms. Fischer. I don't think so, and I am not aware of any 
such program.
    Dr. Gosar. The gentleman is out of time. We may go a second 
round.
    Mr. Tiffany. Chairman, thank you very much for the time.
    Dr. Gosar. You are very welcome.
    Mr. Tiffany. I yield back.
    Dr. Gosar. The gentlewoman from New Mexico is recognized.
    Ms. Stansbury. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    One quick note. We are getting some messages that folks are 
having trouble hearing. So, if you can speak up in the 
microphones, that would be helpful.
    First of all, I want to say I am very sensitive to the 
local concerns, so please don't take the antagonism that you 
are seeing and hearing on the dais as in any way dismissive of 
the local community's concerns about what you are experiencing. 
It is just about process. It is about how the resources of this 
Committee are used, the kinds of issues that are within the 
jurisdiction of this Committee, and what this Committee is 
actually tasked with.
    I do want to talk a little bit, since we are here to talk 
about immigration, and that is what the Committee leadership 
has chosen to do to, to ask some follow-up questions. Ms. 
Fischer, I think it is really important for people to 
understand what is driving immigration on a global scale. We 
are seeing immigrants all across the world seeking asylum not 
only in the United States, but also across other countries in 
Europe and Asia. We have immigrants coming from Venezuela, 
Cuba, Haiti, Turkey, many West African countries right now. 
Talk to us about what some of the driving factors are for these 
families that are trying to find asylum.
    Ms. Fischer. Thank you so much for the question.
    As you noted, as of the end of September 2023, there were 
over 114 million people forcibly displaced worldwide. I think 
it is important to note that over 76 percent of those people 
are actually hosted in low- and middle-income countries, not 
the United States. The people that are coming to the United 
States are mostly coming from countries like Venezuela, Cuba, 
Nicaragua, Colombia, Honduras, and Haiti, as you mentioned.
    In Venezuela, there is a lack of access to economic and 
social rights, and the majority of the population there is 
experiencing extreme food insecurity. Notably, critics of 
President Maduro's government are arbitrarily detained, 
forcibly disappeared, and tortured with the acquiescence of the 
judicial system. And Amnesty has documented that people that 
have been deported to Venezuela have faced arbitrary arrest.
    People come from all over. When I was most recently at the 
border, I had the opportunity of speaking to a group of Afghans 
who were seeking asylum. They were members of an ethnic 
minority group, women and students who were fleeing the Taliban 
rule. So, people really come with all different reasons to seek 
safety and exercise that human right.
    Ms. Stansbury. Thank you. And I think that those examples 
are really important for people to understand.
    I represent New Mexico. And a lot of the rhetoric that we 
hear around here around immigration is every state is a border 
state. Well, New Mexico is an actual border state. And we have 
the opportunity, through our institutions and the various 
programs and services that are working with asylees, to hear 
their stories. Folks are coming from all over the world. And 
the journeys that they go on to arrive here are not unlike 
probably everyone in this room's--unless you are Indigenous, or 
you are black, your journey to get here to the United States 
was probably not unlike the journeys of the people who are 
coming here today. They are traveling thousands of miles. They 
are putting their lives on the line. They are experiencing the 
most possible risks of violence, things that could happen to 
their families.
    And when I think about it, and really imagine my own 
ancestors, many of whom came to the United States in the 1850s 
at the height of the Irish potato famine, it is amazing to me 
when you sit in hearings like this, because, literally, the 
rhetoric that you are hearing here on the dais could be a 
hearing from 1850, because this is the same argument that 
people have been making about immigration, immigrants, the 
diminishing of people and their struggles, and whether or not 
they deserve to be here, the diminishing of their ethnicity, 
their culture, their language, the diminishing of whether or 
not it is appropriate for women and children who are facing 
rape and political violence in their country to come to the 
United States.
    I mean, really, that is what this is. It is just a repeat. 
And it happens to be an incredibly potent issue politically 
right now during an election year. So, it is disturbing to 
hear, especially in a Committee like this, to be used in this 
way.
    But the other question I want to ask, and like I said, I 
don't want to diminish the very serious issues that have been 
raised by our local officials and community residents, and I 
know we are going to do a second round, so I will save my 
questions about this, is how we can help create a more orderly 
situation through bipartisan immigration reform, and to make 
sure that we can address these local concerns for communities 
that are receiving large numbers of immigrants.
    And with that, I will yield back and hold for the second 
round.
    Dr. Gosar. I thank the gentlelady from New Mexico. The 
gentleman from the great state of Arkansas, the Chair of the 
Full Committee, Mr. Westerman, is recognized for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Westerman. Thank you, Chairman Gosar, and thank you to 
the witnesses for being here today.
    And I would like to talk a bit more about how this process 
of leasing national park land for a migrant camp circumvented 
the rules for political purposes. This is something that we 
have seen time and time again from the Biden administration. If 
you read the lease signed between the National Park Service and 
the City of New York, it correctly identifies Floyd Bennett 
Field as historic property.
    Now, here is where things get interesting. Instead of the 
typical Section 106 process, which often involves an extensive 
review process, it appears it has been waived. Rather, the 
lease refers to a memo signed by Director Sams that notes that 
the city will make upgrades and improvements to the historic 
area once the lease expires.
    Now, this is an interesting turn of events. Essentially, 
there is no guarantee that either construction nor the 
existence of the migrant camp will not endanger the historic 
area, something that would generally be required. Instead, the 
Park Service is accepting a promise of future payments for 
improvements to the area. Basically, they are accepting a 
payoff for the lease.
    I would like to know more if this is the norm for the Biden 
administration these days. But those decision makers don't 
always want to answer questions in a public setting. I am 
adding both a copy of the lease agreement and memo for the 
record.
    Now, to get to my question, in a typical process a lease 
for historic property on Federal land would involve some level 
of public engagement. So, Ms. Williams, to your knowledge, did 
the National Park Service or any other Federal agency consult 
and coordinate with any historic preservation office or council 
before leasing historic Floyd Bennett Field to be used as a 
migrant camp?
    Ms. Williams. To answer your question, which was similar to 
an earlier question, there was no communication with us or the 
residents of South Brooklyn and Queens, or any type of historic 
entity whatsoever.
    Mr. Westerman. Did the National Park Service or any other 
Federal agency transparently provide the public information 
about how establishing a migrant encampment would impact Floyd 
Bennett Field's historic property?
    Ms. Williams. Absolutely none.
    Mr. Westerman. And did the Park Service or any other 
Federal agency seek public comment or even input from local 
elected officials prior to signing the lease with the city?
    Ms. Williams. Negative. There was no such communication at 
any time.
    Mr. Westerman. So, they basically just ramrodded this 
through and sidestepped any kind of normal process.
    And I can tell you I know the answer to that because they 
did, and that is why we continually bring this subject up is 
because, if they will do this at Floyd Bennett Field, where 
else will they do it?
    And an Administration that talks about protecting public 
assets, protecting the environment, never wavering on any kind 
of environmental permitting, it seems ironic that they would 
just magically wave the magic baton, which essentially has to 
come from President Biden at that level, and what it looks like 
they did was declared an emergency so they could waive all 
permitting, public input, and review processes to push this 
agenda and to provide this migrant camp on Federal land.
    I can tell you, when this Congress started, this was the 
furthest thing from my mind that this Committee would have to 
deal with, that this Administration would go onto Park Service 
land, waive every rule, and build a migrant camp. Can you 
describe how shocking that was to you, being a resident? I 
mean, was this something you ever expected to happen?
    Ms. Williams. Definitely, no. And to the bigger picture, I 
do represent 137,000-plus people in my district, and I did have 
to answer to them. So, with not having that communication, it 
was very disrespectful to our residents, to our community.
    And we know what is happening. It is a national crisis, and 
we understand that. But when there is lack of communication, 
what we are seeing right now, when we were here before 9 months 
ago, we are seeing that our community, South Brooklyn and 
Queens, have become benefactors of a national crisis.
    Mr. Westerman. And have you had any communication with the 
Federal agencies on whether they will renew the lease in 
September?
    Ms. Williams. Well, that is why we are here, to plead 
before you, and we will continue to do so, asking them to 
please not renew that lease because, if we want to think of a 
more dignified, humane way where these people can have a life, 
and not be able to live in such an area.
    And we can compare this to Orchard Beach, that was in the 
Bronx, right? The tents were put up, it was susceptible to 
flooding, lack of access to transportation. This is no 
different from Floyd Bennett Field. And they did remove those 
tents. So, we need to treat people with some type of dignity. 
Thank you.
    Mr. Westerman. And the point being, Representative, is that 
you are asking, but they are not making any outreach to you to 
give you assurances, or to answer questions, or tell you what 
their plans are.
    Ms. Williams. There is no transparency.
    Mr. Westerman. Thank you very much.
    Ms. Williams. You are welcome.
    Dr. Gosar. I thank the gentleman. The gentleman from 
Montana is recognized for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Rosendale. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I heard this 
microphone is a little bit light, so I will try and keep it up.
    Dr. Gosar. Eat it.
    Mr. Rosendale. Eat it? OK. Thanks, yes.
    Just to start off, I am always amused by the references to 
the immigration that took place in our country from the late 
1800s to the early 1900s, which never, when our colleagues are 
talking about it, never mentions the requirement that these 
immigrants had to have sponsorship from citizens here in our 
country, and the fact that they were not provided with this 
incredibly large social safety net of Federal support that 
costs the taxpayers across this country somewhere in the 
neighborhood of $150 to $500 billion a year, which we can't 
even keep track of because so much of this money is being 
laundered through non-governmental organizations.
    Chairman Gosar, I appreciate you having this hearing today. 
And the impact of President Biden's border policies extends far 
beyond the border regions, now affecting our cherished national 
parks. Just last week, we discussed the harms inflicted upon 
Montana's tribal lands. But it is not just the tribes that are 
being affected, it is the entire West, and the natural beauty 
that our parks and our countries hold most sacred.
    President Biden, Secretary Mayorkas, and their entire 
Administration have no interest in border security. We have 
long since established that. We have seen what this 
Administration and their allies in New York have done by 
allowing illegal aliens to reside on Floyd Bennett Field, 
turning a once beautiful park into a Third World slum. These 
destructive policies are not only affecting Americans' park 
access and enjoyment, but also local communities and farmers 
are being harmed by uncontrolled immigration, as evidenced by 
Bozeman, Montana, a 29 percent increase in felony cases over 
the past year, and that is attributed directly to the illegal 
immigration that is taking place on the southern border.
    Additionally, fentanyl seizures by Montana Highway Patrol 
have increased from 188,823 doses in 2022 to a staggering 
398,522 doses in 2023, resulting in the loss of 80 Montanans to 
fentanyl in 2023. So, this crisis is touching the entire 
country.
    We must secure the border and protect the lives of our 
citizens. If we had a tally of death and destruction to the 
tune of 75,000 to 90,000 people a year that was being caused by 
gunmen coming across the border, we would attack that country. 
But meanwhile, we allow it to sit wide open because it is the 
southern border and fentanyl coming across.
    Furthermore, the northern border must not be forgotten. 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported that Fiscal Year 
2023 saw 189,000 northern land border encounters, which is a 73 
percent increase from 2022, and a 597 percent increase from 
2021.
    We have established again that the cartels, once they find 
out where the pressure is being applied, they adapt, they 
change, and they start utilizing different tactics. And that is 
what we are seeing take place right now on the northern border. 
This issue is especially critical as Montana's Glacier National 
Park lies on the border between the United States and Canada. 
President Biden and his Administration must provide real 
solutions for our border, and help preserve the safety and 
beauty of our nation and its parks.
    You folks are dealing with this directly. Ms. Williams, 
when you talk to fellow Assembly members, do they share the 
same concerns that you do, or are you just an isolated outlier?
    Ms. Williams. Well, you are absolutely right. Very few 
share this same concern that I have and a few other elected 
City Council members. And that is why we are here today to 
bring light to what our communities are facing before you.
    Mr. Rosendale. OK. So, we are going to start talking to the 
communities then.
    Mr. King, as a long-time community leader in New York, has 
there ever been a time in your life where you have seen New 
York local government be so indifferent towards the interests 
of their taxpaying citizens and the communities in which they 
are supposed to protect?
    Mr. King. It is pretty rare. I think there are times when 
they are desperate to move problems out of Manhattan and into 
the outer boroughs. We all experience that. But this was 
egregious.
    Mr. Rosendale. So, on the grassroots level, what have you 
seen regarding the outcry related to the usage of Floyd Bennett 
Field and the extreme costs the city is undertaking to house 
these illegals?
    Mr. King. Well, taxpayers in general don't like the amount 
of money that is being spent, essentially $1,200 a cot per 
month and everything that goes with that, but I think people 
are more concerned about the elements that Ms. Williams was 
talking about, the impact on the community, the degradation of 
the park, and the lessening ability of our families to use the 
park.
    Mr. Rosendale. And I can tell you, as a member of the House 
Veterans Affairs Committee, I wish that this Administration was 
as concerned about caring for our veterans as they are for 
caring and spending the money and the investment on the illegal 
aliens that we are seeing now.
    Mr. Chair, I see now over in the corner of my eye the 
clock, that I have exceeded my time, so I yield back.
    Dr. Gosar. I thank the gentleman. The gentleman from Texas, 
Mr. Hunt, is recognized for 5 minutes.
    Mr. Hunt. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Ms. Williams, are you a Democrat?
    Ms. Williams. Yes, I am.
    Mr. Hunt. It is safe to say that you and I probably don't 
agree on a whole host of policy issues, but I think that we 
could clearly see that the Biden administration, Governor 
Hochul, and Mayor Adams' actions have resulted in the 
destruction of our national borders and your national park, 
ma'am.
    Texas, where I am born and raised and from and represent, 
begged the Federal Government to end its destructive policies 2 
years before illegal aliens arrived in New York in the large 
numbers that you are seeing today. Those pleas fell on deaf 
ears. The issue rose to such a level that Texas took it upon 
itself to fulfill the Federal Government's role in defending 
our nation's border and the citizens of this great nation. 
Again, this is our job, not Governor Abbott's job.
    What was our reward? We were sued by Biden's DOJ. So, even 
when we tried to defend our borders and enforce laws already on 
the books, we were stymied.
    You have testified today that local residents are concerned 
that these issues are being ignored daily, and local residents 
repeatedly sought answers for simple questions concerning the 
potential rise in crime near Floyd Bennett Field. And those 
concerns, as you have articulated, fell on deaf ears.
    Our national parks are the treasures of this country, and 
show the awe-inspiring landscape that God has granted the 
greatest country in the world. They should never be used as 
shelters to house thousands of Biden's illegal immigrants.
    Ms. Morrissey, thank you again for being here, and thank 
you for your service to the City of New York. As a career law 
enforcement official, what are some of the problems New York 
leadership should have expected when they moved 2,000 people 
into Floyd Bennett Field?
    Ms. Williams. Thank you for asking that question.
    First, I just want to add that I am not here to politicize 
political affiliations because I won't be here if I did think 
like that. I am here to represent my community and this problem 
that we have.
    So, if we go back to before the migrants came to Floyd 
Bennett Field, if there was a sit-down conversation with all 
the elected officials, from the governor, to the mayor, and to 
the specific site which covers South Brooklyn, my district, and 
also South Queens, we could probably have come up with a better 
solution. Instead, it was just one or two individuals that made 
that decision, leaving out other local electeds at the table 
without any answers for their community.
    And that is the problem, because we told them from Day 1 it 
is a flood zone area. There is no infrastructure, there is a 
lack of transportation, and the open elements, it is just not 
good. And we are talking about families, we are not talking 
about single men. We are talking about families that are housed 
in the middle of Floyd Bennett Field.
    Next week, we are going into extreme heat weather. So, just 
think of having a 10 or 15 minute walk from there to wait for 
the bus to then go to a supermarket that is 5 miles away, 
right?
    We know that the lease is coming up for renewal, and these 
are the same things that we are bringing back to the table 
because it hasn't changed. It has not changed.
    And I understand they are here for the American dream, but 
at the same time we need to do the background checks, vet these 
individuals or these families so then they can move to the next 
step. Thank you.
    Mr. Hunt. Of course. And again, I applaud that. This is not 
a political issue. I mean, we are on Capitol Hill, so this is 
politics, ma'am, but this is an American issue. This is 
something that we could all come together to agree upon, that 
those are the minimum things that we should have done in 
advance to move into the field.
    And one more follow-up question for you, ma'am. Prior to 
your public service you earned a master's degree in social 
work, and practiced in that field for more than 8 years. I 
thank you for your continued service. Falling back on your 
experience as a social worker and your professional opinion, 
what ramifications will the policies of the Biden 
administration, Governor Hochul, and Mayor Adams--what will it 
have on the next generation of New Yorkers, given your history 
and your field?
    Ms. Williams. Well, I think there may be some trauma that 
is going to be included here with what is happening with the 
children being able to live in such conditions, with everything 
that is going on. I feel as though we have to do better. And 
where does it stop? Where does it stop?
    Mr. Hunt. Thank you very much. I am out of time. But again, 
this is not a political issue. This is an American issue. And I 
applaud you for standing up, even though it might be against 
stream for what your colleagues might think. Thank you very 
much for being here.
    Ms. Williams. You are welcome.
    Dr. Gosar. I thank the gentleman from Texas. The 
gentlewoman from Virginia is next.
    You are up for 5 minutes, Mrs. Kiggans.
    Mrs. Kiggans. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I apologize for 
being late. I was in a meeting with the Secretary of Public 
Safety and Homeland Security from Virginia, who was in my 
office just talking about the rise in fentanyl, the rise in 
terrorist activities, especially at our bases, which--Virginia 
is home to so many of just our national security interests in 
the form of the military.
    So, listening to his concerns, and he made that trip to 
Congress to plead with me, what can be done about Virginia, we 
are not a border state, but we are such a border state right 
now, as every state in the country is. And I don't sit on this 
Subcommittee normally, but received permission to be here 
because it is an issue that I care so much about, and was in 
the whole Natural Resources Committee meeting when we talked 
about this, and we talked about the living conditions for the 
immigrants that are homed in these national parks, and I think 
my colleagues have done a great job just of describing why this 
is not acceptable and not conditions that we can continue.
    But I wanted to start with Ms. Williams. Can you first tell 
me how many families, or maybe just how many people are living 
at Floyd Bennett Field right now?
    Ms. Williams. Approximately 2,000.
    Mrs. Kiggans. OK. And what do those families, especially 
the children, it is summertime now. What do they do during the 
day?
    Ms. Williams. Well, the summer is now approaching, but what 
I have seen firsthand during school hours in front of our CVS, 
local supermarkets, we would have a few families sit there with 
their children with signs and, which is even more horrific, 
stand in the middle of traffic on the medians, sometimes with 
babies strapped to their backs and toddlers or other school-
aged children. They are going into traffic, trying to sell 
chocolate bars, or mangoes and such, which is just quite 
dangerous. And we really don't need something severe to happen 
because I just don't know who will take responsibility for 
that.
    Mrs. Kiggans. So, you have seen an increase just in 
begging, and peddlers on the streets, then, for sure. And it 
sounds like unsafe conditions----
    Ms. Williams. And door-knocking at all times, all hours of 
the night, as well.
    Mrs. Kiggans. Thank you just for being here, and for 
telling those of us who sit in Congress about exactly what is 
going on. It really sounds like the Biden administration is 
just not listening to you all, not doing right to your 
community.
    But you and your constituents are living in the aftermath 
of this decision to build the migrant camp at Floyd Bennett 
Field. Since the camp opened, has the City of New York been 
willing to work with you at all about next steps, meaning the 
plans to close the camp after the lease expires in September? 
Are they not including you in the discussion?
    Ms. Williams. I would wish that they would include me. As a 
matter of fact, I am not treated as such because I have decided 
to move forward on this platform. The communication is not 
transparent, and it is always kind of blocked. I am not allowed 
to go into Floyd Bennett Field without advance notice, so it is 
a little bit challenging.
    Mrs. Kiggans. Is there any form of communication that you 
can tell your concerns to the city? Can you write letters? Or 
what is your form of communication with them?
    Ms. Williams. Of course, we have written letters. We have 
sent e-mails. We have done FOIA requests, a plethora of 
different things. And, again, just very little communication is 
given back.
    Mrs. Kiggans. Who do you write the letters to?
    Ms. Williams. Our governor, Kathy Hochul, our mayor, Mayor 
Eric Adams. Also OEM and other electeds, as well, just to loop 
them in as to where we are going.
    Mrs. Kiggans. So, you can safely say that you feel like 
your needs are not being heard.
    Ms. Williams. Absolutely, our needs are not being heard or 
met.
    Mrs. Kiggans. Thank you.
    Ms. Williams. Hence why we are here.
    Mrs. Kiggans. And Mr. King and Ms. Morrissey, both of you, 
I would like to hear how you would characterize New York City's 
response to the ongoing migrant crisis.
    And I will start with you, Mr. King.
    Mr. King. Well, as a civic leader, I find that we are very 
detached from what is going on. We have an excellent City 
Council Representative, but that is not where the decisions are 
being made. They are being pushed either from Albany and the 
Governor's office or from Gracie Mansion, and they are 
generally unresponsive to the needs of the community or try to 
downplay the impacts on the community because they just don't 
know what to do.
    Again, I believe that part of the reason they are in Floyd 
Bennett Field is that they don't want these problems on the 
streets in Manhattan, where they can be seen. So, tuck them 
into our parks near our neighborhoods. And we are feeling the 
impacts, but there is no responsiveness from New York City 
itself, from the government.
    Mrs. Kiggans. Is that why they chose that location of Floyd 
Bennett Field, because it is out of the way----
    Mr. King. Well, as someone who lives in the outer boroughs, 
I think that is always our suspicion, that if there is a 
problem in Manhattan, people they don't want to be in the 
streets of Manhattan, they will find a way to put them in the 
edges of Brooklyn and Queens, and without services to support 
them usually.
    Mrs. Kiggans. And I understand that you have experienced 
negotiating a lease with the National Park Service on behalf of 
Rockaway Little League to allow children to play baseball at 
Gateway National Recreation Area, of which Floyd Bennett Field 
is a part. Is this correct?
    Mr. King. That is correct.
    Mrs. Kiggans. And can you describe your experience trying 
to secure opportunities for the children of Rockaway Little 
League to play at Gateway?
    Mr. King. I would love to, yes. I mean, we might be the 
only little league that actually is on Federal land. We built 
the fields, and after so many years they said, oh, you need a 
lease to be there. And that was quite contentious in the 
beginning, but we made the case that youth sports is part of 
your mission. And if we are bringing children into the park, we 
could be educating them, bringing them in. And we were told, 
well, that is not part of our vision or our plan for the park.
    But we got our lease, and we are still there. They would 
like to move us out. But more recently one of the local soccer 
leagues, which also brings hundreds of kids into the park, 
wanted to make investments and upgrades, but they wanted to 
lease, and they were told, no, youth sports is not part of our 
vision or our plan for the park. And, obviously, folks in our 
area are shocked that youth sports doesn't belong in a 
recreation area, but a migrant camp does.
    Mrs. Kiggans. Wow. There are no words. They have denied 
leases to sports leagues that wanted to use the recreational 
area land and make improvements? You mentioned the soccer 
league.
    Mr. King. That is correct. The Youth Soccer League was----
    Dr. Gosar. The gentlelady is out of time.
    Mrs. Kiggans. OK. My time is expired. Thank you very much.
    Dr. Gosar. I appreciate it. Well, you got really into it, 
so thank you very, very much. The gentlelady from New York, Ms. 
Malliotakis, is recognized for 5 minutes.
    Ms. Malliotakis. I want to thank you all for being here 
today. I very much appreciate you coming once again, 
particularly, my colleague from New York, Assemblywoman 
Williams. We are from different parties, but common sense is 
common sense. And this is an issue of public safety for the 
people of Brooklyn, of Queens, of Staten Island, Bronx, and 
Manhattan.
    And we, as you know, Mr. Chairman, know that we have 
roughly 200,000 migrants in New York City. We don't know the 
exact number because the city shields this information from us. 
What we do know is just last week a Venezuelan migrant, who is 
a known gang member, shot two NYPD officers. In fact, it 
happened in the district of somebody in this Committee. This 
person crossed into this country illegally from Texas in July, 
and his asylum case was dismissed by a Chicago court, and he 
has been living at a migrant shelter in New York City in 
Queens.
    It is completely outrageous that we have a policy in place 
by this Administration allowing people who are gang members, 
drug traffickers, criminals to enter into our country. And then 
on top of it, you are asking the residents of New York, the 
hardworking taxpayers, to pay for them to be housed in their 
communities, living free. They are living in these shelters. 
Some of them are luxury hotels that have turned into shelters. 
Some are national parks that have been turned into shelters, as 
is the issue that we are discussing today, Floyd Bennett Field.
    I want to highlight some of the concerns from the media, 
from individuals that have spoken to the media about spikes in 
robberies, that there have been arrests, crimes, concerns. We 
know that there has been panhandling, shoplifting. As a matter 
of fact, I pulled up some of the stats for the precinct in 
which Floyd Bennett Field is, and robbery is up over last year 
35 percent. Car thefts are up 51 percent. Larceny up 29, to 
nearly 30 percent. Retail theft, which is a concern that the 
Assemblywoman expressed to me, up 60 percent. And then you have 
assaults that are up roughly 50 percent, hate crimes up 500 
percent.
    My first question is to the Assemblywoman, because I have 
had a hard time getting the actual statistics of people who are 
committing crimes that reside in the shelters. We know there 
were thousands of arrests, we know that much because some of 
the media finally got to the numbers.
    Do you have any of that information, or is the city 
stonewalling you, as well? Because I put in a FOIA request to 
get this data when I found out that there were thousands of 
arrests already made of migrants living in our city, and then, 
when we saw the police officers being assaulted in Times 
Square, shot in Queens, multiple stabbings that have resulted 
in death, all right, that is what is happening in the media. Do 
you have the stats? Because the city won't allow them to 
cooperate with ICE to deport criminals, has the Mayor's office 
allowed the NYPD to give your office that information?
    Ms. Williams. Well, back in January we did submit a FOIA 
request. We did get a response a week ago, and there was no 
information for them to give to us. But I do know for a fact 
there was a call on a strangulation that occurred at Floyd 
Bennett Field. There were some other issues, and those types of 
crimes are not being made available to the public, and not even 
NYPD in some cases can enter the tents. So, you have security 
guards making decisions on what they deem is a criminal 
activity, which is just madness.
    Ms. Malliotakis. So, we all know that crime is taking place 
at these shelters because we are reading about it regularly in 
the newspapers, right? We are just trying to get a hold of 
those statistics. And I myself have also been stonewalled, 
unfortunately, by the city. I put in my own FOIA request after 
a letter I sent in October was ignored. In January, I sent in a 
FOIA request, said that I was going to get the information in 
May and then, guess what? In May, they told me now August. So, 
they too are being very disingenuous with the public.
    Mr. King, you are from that area. Could you talk a little 
bit about the concerns of some of the residents that you live 
with?
    And can you also maybe talk about the taxpayers' concerns 
about having this national park being taken away from them, and 
the cost that this is coming to the City of New York, where you 
are seeing services cut for the hardworking citizens?
    Mr. King. Well, I think across not just Rockaway, but all 
across Brooklyn and Queens, people are upset because we have a 
lot of hurting citizens. And now, all of a sudden, we have 
services getting cut because the money has to come from 
somewhere. And they are paying an exorbitant amount of money, 
$28.8 million or $27.8 million to set this up.
    But we definitely see negative effects in our community, as 
well. With summer coming, we will have more of the problems. We 
said in the beginning, we were afraid this would be a 
humanitarian crisis in the park that will spill into the 
neighborhoods. Now that summer is coming, that is going to be 
spilling more aggressively into Rockaway. And it is an area 
where we have very little police protection, we have very 
little services of any sorts, so it is a recipe for bad things 
to happen.
    Ms. Malliotakis. Right. My time is expired. I don't know if 
we are going to be able to do another round, but I did have 
more questions.
    Dr. Gosar. Well, we can, but we can always submit those for 
the record. I am going to recognize myself for 5 minutes.
    Ms. Morrissey, just yesterday we heard alarming reports 
that eight suspected migrant terrorists with possible ties to 
ISIS were arrested as part of a sting operation in Los Angeles, 
Philadelphia, and, more notably, your New York City. According 
to the sources and the reporting, ``all eight men crossed 
through the southern border into the United States and their 
criminal background checks came back clean when they crossed.'' 
One even used the CBP One app, which the Biden administration 
created to allow migrants to book appointments to claim asylum 
and enter our country.
    According to sources, ``Part of the investigation featured 
a wiretap which revealed one of the now arrested individuals 
talking about bombs.'' One of the sources stated, ``Remember 
the Boston Marathon? I am afraid something like that might 
happen again, or worse.''
    To your understanding, is there a screening process or 
background check in place for the Fort Bennett Field migrant 
camp to ensure that certain migrants are not threats to the 
surrounding communities?
    Ms. Morrissey. No, sir. There is nothing.
    Dr. Gosar. None whatsoever?
    Ms. Morrissey. Nothing that I know of, no.
    Dr. Gosar. Ms. Williams, I know that when I was up there, 
it was going to be a man camp. Now, I understand it is 
families, right?
    Ms. Williams. Correct.
    Dr. Gosar. In some ways I would say that is a little 
better, because you have all these children, all these youth 
activities out there, hockey, baseball, all those things. 
Right? I am from Wyoming, and they had oil and gas man camps. 
And I know they are not really all that fun, but I think women 
and children might be a little better. However, tarmac gets hot 
and radiates heat, does it not?
    Ms. Williams. It does, very much so, especially Floyd 
Bennett Field.
    Dr. Gosar. Wow. It doesn't take very much of a resource to 
know that a child can be dehydrated instantaneously almost, 
right?
    Ms. Williams. Especially walking from that tent to get the 
bus service off of Flatbush can be excruciating.
    Dr. Gosar. Ms. Morrissey, does it concern you, the 
proximity of this camp to so many in your communities and to 
your police department's response time?
    Ms. Morrissey. Yes, it does concern me because, if you read 
in the newspapers and see that our police resources are at low 
manpower already, and having all these additional forces, all 
the migrants coming in, it is going to be a huge strain on our 
first responders.
    And being a retired NYPD lieutenant, I also feel that from 
actually working at that base, aviation, there is also a police 
site there. It is an emergency service site that our police 
officers come out. Besides the concern of the crime and the 
heat from actually doing RMP training there, that tarmac gets 
very, very hot. I know that for a fact. It is very hot on that.
    And as for crime, we are maxed out. There are not enough 
officers citywide, never mind in the smaller commands. So, it 
is a great concern.
    Dr. Gosar. Well, even the police may have some advantages 
or disadvantages, but it is a legal system that just puts them 
back out on the field. They create a bigger problem for you.
    I know something about heat. In fact, my friend, Andy 
Biggs, and I were on a tarmac in Phoenix. And I know Phoenix 
gets a little hotter than New York, but probably not much. All 
of a sudden, we heard this ping, ping, ping. What it was was 
his shoes were falling apart. They were shooting off the 
plastic. They got so hot they just shot off. That is pretty 
impressive when you are talking about heat. Very hot.
    Ms. Williams, go ahead.
    Ms. Williams. Mr. Chairman, can I just add? I mean, these 
are such valid points, and Floyd Bennett Field is 4 miles away 
from Kings Plaza Mall that is open to the public. And we have 
seen in the last few months, especially during the holiday 
time, so many families in there panhandling, making it a very 
uncomfortable situation, playing at the heartstrings of 
families, and so forth. And as a parent myself, it was very 
difficult to see that.
    But as the weather gets warmer, as well, I mean, we can't 
even imagine how such a public place will be filled with so 
many individuals seeking probably a warmer place to relax.
    Dr. Gosar. Yes, well, what we are going to do is go to the 
gentleman from New York, and then the Ranking Member and then I 
am going to ask you one more last question instead of doing a 
second round.
    I will just wait. How about that? We will just go to Mr. 
D'Esposito for 5 minutes from New York.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to 
the Committee for allowing me to waive on.
    Ms. Fischer, I would like to direct my first line of 
questioning to you. In your summary of your opening statement, 
in the second paragraph, it says, ``Amnesty International is a 
Nobel Prize-winning global human rights organization committed 
to fighting for the human rights of all people, no matter where 
they are or where they are from.''
    The third paragraph says, ``Our vision is of a world in 
which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in 
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other 
international human rights instruments.'' It sounds very 
promising.
    My question to you is, do you think that what is happening 
right now in the United States of America under the failed 
policies of Joe Biden and Secretary Mayorkas, do you believe 
that it is the responsibility of Americans, do you believe that 
it is the responsibility of New Yorkers to foot the bill of 
individuals coming into this country illegally?
    Ms. Fischer. Thank you so much for that question. I think 
what we have seen is actually decades of failed policies that 
have invested billions of dollars.
    Mr. D'Esposito. With all due respect, I only have 5 
minutes, and we are not going to talk about the years and 
decades of failed immigration policy. What we are going to talk 
about today are the failed policies, the border security failed 
policies of Joe Biden.
    So, my question is very simple. It is a yes-or-no question. 
Do you believe that the American people, do you believe that 
New Yorkers should foot the bill for people coming into this 
country illegally?
    Ms. Fischer. Seeking asylum is a right under U.S. law. So, 
I think the question is a little bit flawed, but what I am 
suggesting is that----
    Mr. D'Esposito. It is not flawed, because seeking asylum, 
coming into this country and seeking asylum is when you do it 
the correct and legal way.
    Ms. Fischer. The U.S. law allows for people to seek asylum, 
regardless of their----
    Mr. D'Esposito. When people cross our borders----
    Mr. Fischer [continuing]. Manner of entry, and the----
    Mr. D'Esposito. I will reclaim my time. When people cross 
borders, and they come here illegally and, more importantly, 
specific to what we are talking about today, when they come 
here and commit crimes, and then they are released--well, that 
is not the failed policies of Joe Biden, it is the failed 
policies of Governor Hochul in New York State--they commit 
crimes and they are released to commit more crimes.
    What we are talking about today is Floyd Bennett Field. 
Have you ever visited Floyd Bennett Field?
    Ms. Fischer. No, sir, I have not.
    Mr. D'Esposito. Well, I will tell you that in your opening 
statement that you submitted, your vision is of a world in 
which every person enjoys all the human rights enshrined in the 
Universal Declaration. I will tell you that, having worked as 
an NYPD detective for over 16 years and visited Floyd Bennett 
Field many times, as someone who has spent his entire life 
living in New York City and traveled in and out of JFK airport 
routinely, I will tell you two things.
    First, Floyd Bennett Field and JFK Airport, neither one of 
them is a world in which you enjoy human rights. People living 
in an empty warehouse at JFK Airport, that is not the human 
rights that they risked their life to come here for.
    Ms. Fischer. I wholeheartedly agree with that.
    Mr. D'Esposito. At Floyd Bennett Field, which is in close 
proximity to not only military operations, but special 
operations of the New York City Police Department, not only is 
that not where they should be living, but it is also not safe.
    Ms. Fischer. I agree with that statement.
    Mr. D'Esposito. And that is just mind boggling, that we 
continue to allow people into this country illegally, and then 
we, the United States of America and the people who pay taxes, 
have to foot the bill for them to come here to not only live 
and eat and have cell phones, I mean, we have heard stories of 
people coming across the southern border. The moment that they 
cross over and they touch base with asylum, they are on their 
phone getting an Uber to wherever they want to go. Literally, 
there have been Ubers that sit on the southern border, waiting 
to take people places.
    My next line of questioning, I only have a minute left, is 
to Ms. Morrissey.
    First of all, thank you for your service to the NYPD. We 
are both retired. Obviously, we know what it takes to keep 
people safe and protect our communities. These are disastrous 
policies. And as the summer approaches, where we see crime 
skyrocket, because that is what happens, when it gets nicer out 
there are more crimes that are committed--do you believe that 
the migrants committing crimes now surrounding Floyd Bennett 
Field will contribute to the summer crime season?
    Ms. Morrissey. Absolutely, because the heat and living in 
close proximity to each other in a very hot tent is going to 
cause violence with themselves and their surrounding 
neighborhoods, including everyone.
    Mr. D'Esposito. And I would assume you, Mr. King, Ms. 
Williams, and others have expressed these concerns, correct?
    Ms. Morrissey. Yes.
    Mr. D'Esposito. I really do hope they are heard, because 
the American people are paying the price for the Biden border 
crisis. And it is a shame.
    With that, my time has expired, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
    Dr. Gosar. I thank the gentleman from New York. The 
gentlewoman from New Mexico is recognized for her 5 minutes.
    We are going to ask one round. She is going to ask one 
question.
    Ms. Stansbury. All right. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    These House Natural Resources Committee hearings are always 
an interesting fever dream, and I welcome my colleagues from 
New York to the House Natural Resources Committee. This is not 
a City Council meeting for New York City. This is not a State 
Assembly hearing in the New York State Assembly. And this is 
also not a committee that has jurisdiction over immigration or 
international affairs. We are here because we have stewardship 
over our lands, waters, and wildlife.
    And there has been a lot of strange misinformation provided 
here today, but one thing that I do think is helpful for the 
public to know is that part of the role and responsibility of 
Members of Congress is to serve their communities, to do 
casework. And we had three Members of New York's delegation 
here today.
    Please follow up with your Members of Congress. They can 
help facilitate conversations with our Federal agencies. That 
is our job. That is actually why we are here. So, we don't need 
to have fake hearings that are about political issues. It is 
really about just facilitating those kind of conversations.
    I do want to correct the record on a few things, and then I 
will turn it over for a quick question.
    First of all, there was a comment made about veterans. We 
have had the largest expansion of veterans benefits ever in 
American history in the last Congress, with the passing of the 
PACT Act and the eligibility of 3 million more veterans to 
qualify for that.
    There has been a lot of misinformation about how 
immigration and asylum works. Most of the people who are 
currently being housed in various places by the places where 
they are being received have already been screened at the 
border. In fact, that is our policy, and they have been 
screened to be safe.
    Of course, there is always violence that occurs in our 
communities, but they also are awaiting asylum hearings in the 
asylum system. And if our friends across the aisle would like 
to fix the immigration system, fund our programs and pass 
bipartisan immigration reform and work on these issues. Don't 
hold political hearings, but actually get to work on the issues 
that the American people care about and that are impacting so 
clearly our communities.
    But Assemblywoman, I really appreciated some of the 
comments you made earlier about humane solutions and about 
collaboration, and I understand very much the challenge of 
working with the Federal bureaucracy. All of our communities 
struggle with it. And certainly, we are committed to helping 
support and work out issues so that there is better 
coordination. But we don't have jurisdiction over the state or 
the city here.
    But because we are here talking about immigration, about 
what to do with the populations who are here in our 
communities, I want to start with Ms. Fischer, and then I would 
love to ask Ms. Williams, as well.
    What do you see as being some of the ways in which we can 
fix the existing systems to help get people through the asylum 
system faster to more humanely house people, to make sure that 
families are safe in the spaces where they are living in the 
interim, and to make sure that our communities have a say in 
the process?
    I will start with Ms. Fischer and then turn to Ms. 
Williams.
    Ms. Fischer. Thank you so much for that question. I think 
that answer actually starts here with Federal coordination. It 
is really not feasible for just one or two cities, like New 
York and Chicago, to receive such high numbers of new arrivals. 
With Federal coordination, we can ensure that new arrivals that 
do not already have ties to the United States have the 
opportunity to go places that are facing labor shortages, 
population decline, and can benefit from a boost of new 
workers.
    People also need the ability to work. Asylum seekers are 
only able to receive work permits once their asylum 
applications have been pending for 6 months. That needs to be 
sped up. If we take the example of Carla, who I spoke about in 
my opening statement, it took her months of doing the hair and 
nails of people in her shelter to save up the thousands of 
dollars she needed to pay for an immigration attorney to then 
file for asylum, and then start the clock to wait the 6 months 
for her work permit, which obviously delayed their ability to 
move out of shelters and into independence.
    And, again, what we need is a system that provides people 
the ability to come here safely, in a dignified manner, and 
support services to help them navigate their cases in 
immigration court. These solutions have not only proven to be 
more effective at helping people comply with their immigration 
requirements, they also will save taxpayers' dollars and 
bolster local economies.
    Ms. Stansbury. OK, Assemblywoman Williams, again, the 
question is really, for individuals that are already here and 
that do need housing, how can there be better collaboration and 
support for the communities that are hosting these folks and 
helping to make sure that there are safe and humane 
environments for folks to start their next chapter?
    Ms. Williams. Thank you. There definitely has to be a 
dialogue with all the electeds at the table. That is a start in 
the right direction for a better solution, No. 1, that 
opportunity was not given to us 9 months ago, so moving 
forward.
    And the best thing we can do for those families at Floyd 
Bennett Field is not to renew the lease and try to do something 
better, whether it is open up the rest of the state, have them 
vetted much quicker, because we know for sure that not everyone 
who is seeking asylum is going to be granted that status.
    And I just want to piggyback a little bit when we talk 
about the vetting process and it is done at the border. Well, I 
really wondered what happened with the eight individuals that 
were arrested, didn't they go through that vetting process, 
too? Because for us in South Brooklyn, we do have a shopping 
mall that thousands and thousands of people visit every day. 
And God forbid, something crazy had happened, how that could 
have been a place of an attack or something.
    So, we have to do better, but everyone has to be at the 
table. It can't be a one-way conversation, and then the local 
electeds are left in the dark to answer to their constituents, 
because most times the local electeds have more interaction 
with their local constituency.
    Ms. Stansbury. Thank you, Madam Assemblywoman. And it is 
unfortunate that your Members of Congress left before they 
could hear that.
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Dr. Gosar. You are certainly welcome.
    First of all, I wanted to address the jurisdictional issue. 
This is the Oversight Committee of Natural Resources. That 
means everything is on the table, whether it be national parks, 
whether it be public lands, whether it be minerals and oil and 
gas. It all is part of our jurisdiction.
    Now, carefully, I am going to ask you each what was the 
question you were prepared to hear, didn't hear, and what is 
the answer to that question?
    We will start with you, Ms. Williams. What was the question 
you were prepared to answer, it wasn't asked, and what was its 
answer?
    Ms. Williams. Many questions were asked, but one of the 
things we spoke about is the summer months coming up, and that 
is going to be very, very excruciating with the heat. And how 
are those tents going to be cooled down? They are going to be 
run by generators that use diesel, and that is going to be 
running 24 hours a day for the entire summertime.
    We are talking about the pollution. We are talking about so 
many different things. When you think about the climate aspect, 
quality of air and so forth, it is just not good for the 
families because we have seen children playing soccer outside 
of the tents, and those generators going 24 hours a day, 
letting out those fumes. How is that impacting the families or 
the children that are playing soccer or using their scooters 
right outside the premise of the tent?
    Dr. Gosar. Thank you.
    You are next.
    Mr. King. Yes, in addition to being a civic leader, I am a 
businessman in Rockaway. I have been a partner for 30 years. 
So, a question about the economic impact on our businesses and 
on the workforce.
    We have spoken a bit about the shoplifting. I mean, there 
are also situations, really throughout Queens, where migrants 
are taking the stuff they have gotten for free, and they are 
selling it on the street in front of stores, and our retail 
operations are already struggling. They don't need the 
competition, or to have the front of their stores being 
difficult for customers to get to. So, it has been bad for 
business, but it has been worse for working-class and poor New 
Yorkers.
    You guys know New York is a very expensive place to live. 
It is painfully worse with all the inflation we have had the 
last few years. So, if you are working, you are not even 
paycheck to paycheck. You are doing odd jobs, putting cash in 
your pocket. All of a sudden, we have an influx of hundreds of 
thousands of people in a labor glut. It drives down prices when 
we need our workers to be able to get better prices. So, you 
have people who are struggling to get by who either can't make 
money at all, or they have to fight to accept less money 
because a migrant who is living in Floyd Bennett Field doesn't 
have the overhead that an American citizen has.
    So, it has been bad for people on the business side, both 
the businesses themselves and our working-class Americans.
    Dr. Gosar. Thank you, Mr. King.
    Ms. Fischer?
    Ms. Fischer. I will add to that a little bit. I think what 
I would want to sort of lift up is that the new arrivals can be 
a real boon to local economies. There are economists that have 
estimated that for every thousand newly-arrived workers, 
initial state and local tax revenues are expected to increase 
by $2.5 million.
    Economists also estimate that a 10 percent reduction in 
asylum seekers in a single year would be an $8.9 billion loss 
to the U.S. economy, and over $1.5 billion in lost tax revenues 
in 5 years. So, I think this idea that the new arrivals are a 
drain on the local economy is actually misaligned with what I 
think mountains of economic evidence is able to show.
    Dr. Gosar. Thank you.
    Ms. Morrissey?
    Ms. Morrissey. I feel our quality of life. And most 
important, something that we are overlooking right now is our 
own children. Kids are passing the migrant children selling in 
the middle of the summer on a median in the heat with their 
parents when they are coming from school. Explaining mentally 
for the children of the neighborhood what is going on. While 
they are going to the beach they are seeing children standing 
there. And I feel it is hard for them, as parents, to explain 
this to children, the begging, and seeing them when they are 
going to avoid people in the stores, and everything like that 
being rushed, and the parents' fear, and feeling the fear the 
parents are having.
    So, I feel the mental and the quality of life is extremely 
crucial. And right now it is affecting everyone, from the 
elderly being fearful to go in the parking lots, to the parents 
rushing their children along quickly to avoid any kind of 
conflict. And some don't even understand what is going on. We 
are taught different. We are taught to help, but we can't help. 
It is over-running the neighborhood, and it is crucial that 
something be done.
    It is cruel, what is being done, leaving children, 
families, on tarmacs in the heat. The line between right and 
wrong is very gray right now, and it is very hard to explain.
    Dr. Gosar. Ms. Morrissey, I love your comment at the very 
end there. There isn't a broken system. It is we are not 
enforcing the law. If there are things that have to be changed 
once the law is enforced, then you can change them. But you 
can't just change the goalposts.
    So, from that standpoint, I want to thank all of our 
witnesses for coming so far and for your expert testimony. 
There may be some additional questions for the witnesses, and 
we will ask you to respond to those in writing.
    Under Committee Rule 3, members of the Committee must 
submit questions to the Subcommittee Clerk by 5 p.m. on 
Tuesday, June 18. The hearing record will be open for 10 days 
for your responses.
    If there is no further business, the Subcommittee on 
Oversight and Investigations is adjourned.

    [Whereupon, at 12:37 p.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.]

            [ADDITIONAL MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD]

Submissions for the Record by Rep. Gosar

                             NEW YORK STATE

                Homeland Security and Emergency Services

                                                  June 11, 2024    

Chairman Gosar
House Committee on Natural Resources
Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee
1324 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

    Dear Chairman Gosar:

    The State of New York has worked to support New York City 
(``City'') throughout the migrant crisis to ensure individuals arriving 
in the City are provided temporary shelter in accordance with City 
requirements. With more than 100,000 individuals flowing into New York 
State over the last year and more than 65,000 currently being sheltered 
by the City, the State continues to provide fiscal support to the 
City's on-going response operation.

    Beginning in early 2023, the State submitted requests to the 
federal government, on behalf of the City, for the use federal lands 
for expanded temporary shelter. Following discussions with the 
Department of Interior, the City and federal government executed a 
contract to allow New York City to utilize Floyd Bennett Field as a 
shelter for more than 2,000 migrants and asylum seekers. The lease for 
the use of Floyd Bennett Field (the ``Lease'') is between the United 
States of America acting through the National Park Service (``NPS''), 
as Lessor, and the City of New York (the ``City''), as Lessee. As we 
understand it, the terms of the Lease were driven by the statutory and 
regulatory powers and obligations of NPS. The State of New York (the 
``State'') is not a party to the Lease, nor did the State negotiate the 
terms of the Lease. Rather, in order to assist the City in ameliorating 
the migrant crisis, the State agreed, through a separate agreement with 
the City, to pay on behalf of the City all rent obligations set forth 
in the Lease. The Lease, which commenced on September 15, 2023 and 
expires on September 14, 2024, requires over the course of the one-year 
term the payment of $20,805,000 in Monthly Rent and $7,000,000 in 
Management and Oversight Rent. In addition, to support the City's 
provision of shelter and services to migrant persons, the State agreed 
to reimburse the City for all necessary expenses up to $383 per bed per 
night for up to 2,000 beds.

    The Lease requires the City to make the following improvements to 
the property: (i) rehabilitate the historic entrance to Floyd Bennett 
Field; (ii) repair approximately 12,000 lineal feet of main access 
routes, including include making repairs to roadways, planting native 
tree planting, and installing landscaping; (iii) make site improvements 
to the approximately 770,000 square foot Historic Hangar B parking lot 
and RV camping sites; (iv) upgrade the existing 30 public camping sites 
and clear and grub an additional 30 sites, including making 
improvements by adding signage, removing invasive trees and vegetation, 
installing fire rings and picnic tables at each site, regrading the 
access trail, and building a new permanent restroom facility; and (v) 
improve the area around Building 272 to support the development of an 
outdoor education campus, including clearing invasive plant materials, 
constructing permeable walking trails, rehabilitating the existing 
greenhouse, installing a new parking area, and adding visitor 
amenities. The City may use up to $14,400,000 of the Monthly Rent to 
cover the cost of these improvements.

    As Congress considers its next steps in providing additional 
funding and authorities to address the global migration currently 
challenging the nation's immigration system, the State of New York will 
continue to support New York City in deploying City and State resources 
and staff to provide humanitarian assistance to individuals in the New 
York City shelter system.

                                               Jackie Bray,
                                                       Commissioner

                                 ______
                                 

                   NEW YORK CITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

                                                  June 12, 2024    

Hon. Paul Gosar, Chairman
House Committee on Natural Resources
Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee
1324 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

    Dear Chairman Gosar:

    Pursuant to the request for testimony regarding the use of Floyd 
Bennett Field by New York City agencies, we are happy to provide 
information regarding our posture during this unprecedented emergency.

    Through preparedness, education, and response, New York City 
Emergency Management helps New Yorkers before, during, and after 
emergencies. The agency is responsible for coordinating citywide 
emergency planning and response for all types and sizes of emergencies. 
Our agency is staffed by more than 250 dedicated professionals with 
diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise, including individuals 
detailed from other City agencies. We work to identify the essential 
partners, personnel, and resources needed for effective response, 
including city, state, and federal government agencies as well as a 
broad array of partners in the private, non-profit, health care, and 
utility sectors. Emergency Managements' coordination efforts are a 
critical piece of a broader multiagency response to this national 
humanitarian crisis. We act as the central coordinator when it comes to 
emergency response, ensuring that resources are available for our 
partners, and serving New Yorkers in what can be their worst days with 
skill and compassion.

    Since April 2022, New York City has been leading the country's 
response to the migrant emergency, providing critical support to over 
200,000 individuals who have sought refuge and received assistance from 
our system. New York City is projected to spend more than $4 billion on 
asylum seeker operations. With thousands of migrants and asylum seekers 
arriving each month, every day is an all-out sprint as our teams work 
diligently to open new sites, operate existing emergency shelters and 
respite centers, and find placements for new arrivals. We are a city 
shouldering the weight of a national crisis, which is stretching the 
limits of our physical space and resources. However, we remain 
committed to upholding the values of compassion, efficiency, and 
accountability as we navigate this complex humanitarian crisis. The 
Adams Administration is proud to have engineered the first-in-the-
nation Asylum Application Help Center, which opened last summer. Since 
its inception, we have opened three satellite sites while partnering 
with nonprofits, law firms, and the state and federal government. We 
have also provided health care, education, work training, jobs, legal 
support and much, much more. This is a story of New York City stepping 
up, and managing, and doing everything possible. For the last two years 
we have led with care and compassion, and we have not and will not lose 
sight of the extraordinary scale of this emergency. As it stands, 
currently the City is operating over 200 sites across all five 
boroughs, including 15 humanitarian relief centers, and we have helped 
submit over 50,000 applications for asylum, temporary protected status 
(TPS), and work authorization.

    The City has been able to provide all new arrivals with shelter 
because of the flexibility we have had to open sites quickly. Some of 
those sites have not looked like traditional homeless shelters because 
emergency situations require creative solutions. We have sheltered 
people in gyms, already shuttered parochial schools, warehouses, NYPD 
facilities, commercial buildings, an airplane hangar, and closed or 
unused university buildings. In order to make these spaces safe and 
suitable for guests, we have had to repair elevators, rent shower 
trailers, contend with failing plumbing, and retrofit heating and 
cooling systems, and ensure accessibility issues for those with access 
and functional needs. After appealing to state and federal partners for 
additional support, including shelter space and sites, we were provided 
with approximately 30 acres of Floyd Bennett Field--less than 8 percent 
of the park's 387 acres. Most of the shelter is constructed on a 
portion of an unused runway and parking lot. The New York State 
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services provided the 
necessary requirements for this type of configuration, and Floyd 
Bennett Field meets the specifications they laid out.
    Opening Floyd Bennett Field was necessary, and in order to make it 
a safe place for families with children to reside, we have solved for 
hazards including high winds and flooding. We developed protocols for 
evacuation and built a pedestrian walkway to connect the base camp to a 
major thoroughfare. We meet weekly with the National Park Service to 
address issues as they arise. We spend an immense amount of time and 
resources to minimize our impact on the park and maximize safety of the 
guests.

    It is important the federal government remains committed to helping 
states and local government combat the humanitarian crisis. When 
refugees from Europe arrived after World War II, from Vietnam in the 
1970s, and from Cuba in the 1980s, the federal government ran large 
scale programs to provide immediate healthcare needs of new arrivals, 
screen out individuals posing security risks, and relocate people 
across the United States--where they went on to make massive 
contributions to American society and the economy. Without 
comprehensive immigration reform passed by Congress, this crisis has 
largely been left to cities and local jurisdictions to shoulder alone.

    We cannot emphasize enough that this is a national crisis that 
demands a national response, namely meaningful action from Congress. 
This crisis has been, from the start, a true interagency effort, and we 
will continue to work with our partners to provide assistance and 
coordination. We are grateful for the support of those willing to work 
with us and that of the many elected officials who know that new 
immigrants have and will continue to enrich our communities.

            Sincerely,

                                                Zach Iscol,
                                                       Commissioner

                                  ***

         Appendix: Operational Information on the Base Camp at

                          Floyd Bennett Field

Is the Floyd Bennett Field Humanitarian Center safe?

    We put the health and safety of asylum seekers--and most 
importantly children seeking asylum--above all else. Floyd Bennett 
Field Humanitarian Center staff work around the clock to ensure guest 
wellbeing and that guests sleep in safe temperatures and receive three 
meals each day.
    In keeping with our commitment to public safety of guests and 
workers at Floyd Bennett Field Humanitarian Center, NYCEM has 
established temporary relocation plans for the center in the event of 
an emergency. In the event of a relocation, our security and operations 
team at FBF ensures thorough accounting for all individuals, including 
searches, communication strategies, and tracking methods like scanning 
individuals to the temporary shelter upon arrival. NYCEM executives are 
well-trained in evacuation protocols and managing temporary shelters, 
including supervising contractors and providing clear instructions for 
safe evacuation processes. While the city retains operational 
responsibility for FBF under the lease agreement, we maintain open 
communication with federal and state partners regarding major city 
emergencies and basecamp concerns. General plans are always in place 
should we need to evacuate any shelter or site NYC Emergency Management 
builds or operates, enabling us to respond swiftly. Through our 24/7 
Watch Command facility, we are always monitoring weather, hazards and 
other conditions throughout the city looking out for any potential 
problems affecting New York City, and asylum seeker sites in 
particular.
How much of Floyd Bennett Field does the base camp shelter take up?

    The City's lease is for approximately 30 acres of Floyd Bennett 
Field, which comprises less than 10% of the park's total 387 acres. 
Much of the base camp is on top of a retired runway and hangar parking 
lot.
How do asylum seekers staying at the Floyd Bennett Field Humanitarian 
        Center get to the city for school, work, or other services?

    In order for migrants and asylum seekers to become self-sufficient, 
taxpaying members of American society, they need work permits. Though 
we can provide services like free transportation, it is on Congress to 
pass legislation that grants these individuals the legal status they 
need in order to start building a life outside of our humanitarian 
centers and support themselves and to provide the resources and 
authorities needed to expedite asylum and other immigration processing 
and procedures.
Are people still able to visit Floyd Bennett Field for recreational 
        purposes?

    Yes. Our base camp is clearly defined and bordered, leaving the 
other roughly 357 acres of the park available for public use.
What if you damage the parkland?

    We will leave the park better off than we found it. As a condition 
of our lease of Floyd Bennett Field, we are making up to $14.4 million 
in investments to improve the park. The projects include: 
rehabilitating the historic front entrance to the visitor center, 
repairing over 12,000 feet of roadways and runways, removing debris and 
invasive plants, renovating 12 RV and 30 regular camping sites, and 
developing a seven-acre outdoor education campus in partnership with 
Outward Bound Schools NYC.

                                 ______
                                 
Submissions for the Record by Rep. Stansbury

                         AYUDA SOCIAL SERVICES

``Reina''--Ayuda Client Story: Defensive Asylum Grant

    Reina* is a 29-year-old transgender woman from Honduras. In her 
home country, it was impossible for her to express her gender identity 
safely. Her defensive asylum case was based on a near-death beating 
inflicted on her by military and police as punishment for publicly 
presenting as a trans woman. She sought refuge in the U.S. and 
eventually, the D.C. metropolitan area. Ayuda is a nonprofit based in 
the D.C. area that provides legal, social, and language access services 
to help low-income immigrants access justice. Ayuda attorneys 
represented Reina in her defensive asylum case and prepared an over 
700-page filing with extensive country conditions on the treatment of 
transgender individual in Honduras. Reina was able to overcome 
significant trauma to prepare a detailed declaration and give brief but 
compelling testimony. The government agreed to a grant of asylum.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     *All names have been changed to protect the client's identity.

    Reina would have certainly been killed if returned to her home 
country. We are privileged to have her as a member of our community. 
She has given so much of her time and energy to caring for others 
around D.C. and has grown into an incredible advocate for transgender 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
rights.

    Today, Reina continues receiving gender-affirming medical care that 
would have been impossible in her home country. She has a blooming 
career in fashion and television. A telenovela she is acting in just 
premiered this summer. Reina is overjoyed to be able to pursue her 
dreams without fear of deportation to a country where her safety and 
life were at risk. Reina's newfound safety and stability, thanks in 
large part to the work of the Ayuda attorneys who represented her in 
her asylum case, demonstrate the critical importance of supportive 
services for asylum seekers. Her life-changing journey and her positive 
contributions to our community demonstrate the critical importance of 
this nation remaining a welcoming place for those seeking safety at our 
border.
Selena's Story: Celebrating U Visa Success After 6 Years

June 6, 2023

    Everyone has their own reason for immigrating. When former Ayuda 
client Selena* fled her home country in Central America after surviving 
domestic violence, her reason for coming to the United States was 
simple: Safety--for herself and her children.

    Shortly after arriving in the U.S., Selena entered a romantic 
relationship with a man named Patrick.* But once he began to abuse her 
both emotionally and physically, Selena was done. She made the 
courageous decision to end the relationship.

    Patrick, however, had other plans. He began stalking Selena, 
posting intimate photos of her online, and generally making her feel 
unsafe. Selena kept her composure and reported his crimes to law 
enforcement. With Ayuda's assistance, in 2016 she began the process of 
applying for a U Visa, which allows victims of certain severe crimes 
and their family members to legally remain in the U.S.

    Although the U Visa is one of the strongest legal protections 
available for immigrant survivors of sexual assault or domestic 
violence, it comes with built-in roadblocks. For one thing, U Visas are 
only granted if the survivor complies with ``reasonable requests'' from 
law enforcement. In Selena's case, she was called on to testify at her 
abuser's trial. Despite the intense, combative questions that Patrick's 
counsel threw Selena's way, she ultimately prevailed. Her abuser has 
been convicted.

    But the best part: Selena has been granted her U Visa after a long 
six years of waiting and can safely continue her path to recovery. 
Today, Selena is happily living with her two children after getting 
remarried last year.
A 20-Year Journey to Citizenship: Tanya's Story

    Tanya* was a young adult when she experienced political persecution 
in her home country. In search of freedom, she accepted a job as a 
domestic worker in a foreign country. Unfortunately, Tanya's escape was 
short-lived, as her new employers subjected her to human trafficking.

    After the traffickers brought her to the U.S., Tanya once again 
escaped--only to be failed by the immigration bureaucracy. Her asylum 
application was denied in immigration court. It wasn't until several 
years later, working with an immigration attorney who recognized her as 
a survivor of human trafficking, that Tanya was granted a T Visa in 
2008.

    But T Visas are temporary and only allow survivors of trafficking 
to stay in the U.S. for up to 4 years. In 2011, Tanya began working 
with Ayuda to ensure her long-term safety by seeking lawful permanent 
residency. A year later, her case was a success. On top of her 
residency victory, Ayuda also helped Tanya reopen and terminate her 
previous immigration case--a necessary step to one day apply for 
citizenship.

    In 2022, Tanya was ready to become a citizen. With Ayuda's 
representation, she applied for naturalization. Tanya's hard work and 
studying paid off last month, when she passed her English and civics 
tests on the first try.

    This week, over 10 years after becoming a permanent resident and 
over 20 years after she escaped her traffickers, Tanya will take the 
Oath of Allegiance and become a U.S. Citizen.

    All of us at Ayuda are celebrating Tanya's success and wishing her 
the best as she starts this next chapter.
Teen Trafficking Survivor Finds Safety with Ayuda: Elias' Story

July 19, 2023

    Elias* was 16 when he arrived in the U.S. from Guatemala as an 
unaccompanied minor. He'd taken the risky journey hoping to reconnect 
with his mother stateside, whom he hadn't seen since birth. Upon 
arriving in the D.C. area, Elias connected with Ayuda for a helping 
hand with his goals: enrolling in school, getting health insurance, and 
securing his legal status.
    But at home, Elias was not having the happy reunion he'd imagined 
with his mom. She was forcing him to work in demolition and 
confiscating all of his earnings. She cycled through threats to kick 
him out of the house, frequently taking his phone to ensure he couldn't 
reach his safety net.

    After several months, Elias took the challenging step of 
recognizing his mother's behavior for what it was: Labor trafficking 
and abuse. He confided to his Ayuda case manager, who immediately 
reported the treatment to Child Protective Services (CPS) and began 
working to get him out of his home.

    Finding Elias safe shelter, however, was a challenge in itself. He 
desperately needed refuge from his mother's house, but many emergency 
housing programs only have beds for women or survivors of sex 
trafficking. His case manager knocked on dozens of doors, to no avail. 
Finally, Ayuda was able to pay for Elias' stay at a hotel while 
coordinating a more long-term solution.

    Elias was understandably scared but remained unshakeable throughout 
the process--never losing his infectious sense of humor. He put Ayuda 
in touch with his uncle based in the Midwest, who was more than willing 
to provide his nephew a safe home. After coordinating between CPS, 
Elias' mom, and his school, our case manager purchased him a bus 
ticket, a winter coat, and food for the journey. Finally, Elias and the 
case manager made a safety plan for traveling and future communications 
with his mother.

    Today, Elias has been living with his uncle for over a year. He's 
attending high school, has a job, and is working with a local 
immigration attorney. Most importantly, Elias reports feeling happier 
and much more peaceful in his new home.
Protection through Pro Bono: Ruka's Story

    Ruka* was in the United States on a tourists' visa visiting from 
her home country in Asia, when she first met Donald.* A restaurant 
owner, he promised Ruka that she could be included in a visa 
application that would grant her permanent residency in the U.S. It 
sounded like a dream, so Ruka leapt at the opportunity.

    As the visa application was allegedly processing, Donald required 
her to work at the restaurant. He also made her pay thousands of 
dollars in legal fees. Ruka had no way of knowing that, in fact, 
federal immigration laws obligate the employer to pay these fees. With 
no other option, she agreed to pay.

    But after Ruka had come up with the exorbitant fees, Donald changed 
her duties in the restaurant and eventually ceased paying her, 
requiring her to work only for tips as a server. A short time later, 
Ruka's dilemma became unbearable when Donald demanded another $10,000 
for the visa application. He even threatened to remove her from the 
application if she did not pay or continue to work.

    Ruka stood her ground, refusing to give in to Donald's demands. His 
retaliation was brutal. Well aware that Ruka was now only paid in tips, 
Donald placed her to work in the kitchen, where she'd be unable receive 
gratuity from customers.

    Fortunately, Ruka was soon able to flee the trafficking situation 
and reported Donald's crimes to the authorities. She connected with 
Ayuda's pro bono program and worked with volunteer attorneys to apply 
for both a T Visa and a U Visa. (What's a T Visa?)

    During every step of the process, Ruka's pro bono attorneys were 
guided by Ayuda staff attorneys to assist with the uniquities of 
immigration law. In December 2022, Ruka received the good news: her T 
Visa had been approved, allowing her to safely remain in the U.S. for 
the near future.

    Furthermore, since Ruka's initial police report, Donald has pled 
guilty to human trafficking--ensuring that no one else will endure what 
she went through at his hands. Ruka is happy to have won her case and 
hopes that sharing her story will help someone else in her situation.
Zoila's Story: Social Work Breaks Barriers

March 7, 2023

    During March we observe Social Work Month to celebrate the powerful 
impact of Ayuda's Social Services team. These dedicated individuals 
work with immigrant clients to identify their unique needs and goals 
and navigate resources in their communities. Social Work is difficult 
to describe because it looks so different for everyone. Zoila's story 
below is just one example of how social services uplifts survivors and 
those who could use a helping hand.

    Thank you, Ayuda Social Services team!

    Zoila, an immigrant mother of two, first connected with Ayuda in 
March 2022. She had recently survived domestic violence and was 
experiencing economic hardship, with a baby on the way. Ayuda's Social 
Services team met her with our helping hand extended.

    Senior Case Manager Diana Fitz and her colleagues connected Zoila 
with financial assistance, so that she could create stability in her 
life. To prepare for welcoming her little one, Zoila joined Ayuda's 
Nursery Project, which gave her access to all the newborn essentials. 
Her family has also been able to count on Ayuda's pantry and diaper 
bank since the new baby arrived.

    In the last year, Zoila has been making progress on her road to 
recovery. She's participated in therapy through Ayuda's support group, 
as well as different self-improvement workshops, to help her reach a 
healthy mental space in life.

    With Ayuda's support, Zoila has been able to set goals and thrive. 
Her dream is to start a food truck business, and she will soon work 
with the social services team to start applying for the necessary 
certification. The entire Ayuda team is excited for the day we will get 
to taste Zoila's cuisine!

                                 ______
                                 

                              GreenLatinos

                                                  June 18, 2024    

Re: GreenLatinos Opposition to H.R. 5283

    While the proposed intent to protect America's public lands is 
admirable, H.R. 5283--Protecting our Communities from Failure to Secure 
the Border Act of 2023--proposes false solutions for public land 
management and misdirects blame to immigrants seeking their right to 
asylum. Rather than scapegoat undocumented people, we encourage the 
bill sponsor, Rep. Malliotakis (NY), and Congress to robustly fund 
Federal land management agencies--a critical impediment to properly 
stewarding the hundred of thousands of conservation, recreation and 
historic units under federal jurisdiction--and swiftly work together on 
compassionate and humanitarian immigrant reception and integration 
policies.
    In an August 2023 report titled ``Deferred Maintenance of Federal 
Land Management Agencies: FY 2013-FY2022 Estimates and Issues'', the 
Congressional Research Service forcefully demonstrates that every 
federal land management agency is severely and chronically underfunded. 
Specifically, the report finds that in FY 2022 the Bureau of Land 
Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and 
U.S. Forest Service had a combined deferred maintenance estimate of 
$35.53 billion. A staggering 59% of this $35.53 billion, or $21.09 
billion represents the total maintenance backlog of the National Park 
Service. Additionally, in every year analyzed, the National Park 
Service had the ``largest portion of total deferred maintenance and 
considerably more than any other agency.''
    It is the position of GreenLatinos that land management agencies 
should be robustly funded to manage and steward public lands. Yet U.S. 
House of Representatives leadership in this 118th Congress consistently 
act to defund agencies responsible for administering public lands. The 
House FY24 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations 
Bill proposed a $2,654,000,000 budget for the operation of the National 
Park Service, nearly just 46% of the actualized NPS budget of 
$4,724,284,000 actualized for FY24. Even with existing NPS funding 
levels, the Agency does not have adequate resources to address the 
deferred maintenance estimate which forces the Agency to consider 
alternative agreements to address maintenance needs on a site by site 
basis as was done between the City of New York and the National Park 
Service for Floyd Bennett Field.
    In the backdrop of minimal federal funding appropriation, the 
agreement between the City of New York and the National Park Service 
was designed to ensure financial gain for the stewardship of Floyd 
Bennett Field via paid rent. The agreement secures resources for 
certain improvements of the site that would contribute to long-term 
visitor use and enjoyment of the site. (source).
    Moreover, there are a host of activities such as logging, mining, 
and other energy extraction which directly lead to habitat loss and 
pollution of some of America's most pristine natural resources. For 
example, the U.S. Forest Service estimates there are nearly 39,000 
(source) abandoned mines with environmental impacts whose impacts 
include but are not limited to water contamination, water acidity, 
metal contamination of soil, erosion, discharged drums and tanks, 
impairment of scenic vistas, and direct loss of habitat (source). 
Methane emissions and other pollutants accelerating the climate crisis 
pose gargantuan threats to public land maintenance including NPS-
administered units (source). It should be noted that the proponents of 
H.R. 5283 do not act to address these critical issues affecting the 
wellbeing of public lands. In this Congress, the bill's supporters have 
made reckless attempts to: gut bedrock environmental laws that protect 
our public lands like the National Environmental Policy Act and 
Endangered Species Act; block the Bureau of Land Management 
Conservation and Landscape Health Rule from implementation; block the 
Methane Emissions Reduction Program; and force agencies to proceed with 
the lease of public lands for oil and gas extraction.
    Rather than misdirect and mislead the public, we urge Congress to 
adequately fund federal land management agencies according to need, 
address the threats of pollution to public land health, prioritize 
measures to restore ecosystem health, and to pass comprehensive 
immigration reform. The Senate should prevent the passage of H.R. 5283, 
and focus on expediting access to work permits for immigrants seeking 
asylum in the U.S. and providing a path to citizenship for undocumented 
people and family reunification, including by adopting the Dream Act 
and creating a path to lawful permanent resident status for long-time 
recipients of Temporary Protected Status and similar programs.`