Paul Gosar Chairs House Natural Resources Committee Hearing On ‘Biden’s Border Crisis’

4 months ago

On Thursday, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) chaired a House Natural Resources Committee hearing on Biden's border crisis.

Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:

https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript

Stay Connected
Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: http://forbes.com

Transcript

00:00:00Idea Biden's Borden crisis. That's creating National Park lands and damaging communities under committee rule 4f

00:00:08Any role opening statement at the hearing is limited to the chair won't chairman and the ranking member

00:00:12I therefore ask you know sent that all the members statements be made part of the hearing record

00:00:17If they are submitted in accordance with rule community rule 3 0

00:00:22Without just objections. So word I asked unanimous consent the following members be allowed to sit and participate today in today's hearing

00:00:30The gentleman from Wisconsin. Mr. Tiffany the gentlewoman for Virginia miss Kiggins the gentlewoman from New York miss Malia

00:00:36Takas the gentlewoman from New York

00:00:39gentlemen from

00:00:40Mr. Esposito

00:00:42Without objection, so order I now record myself recognize myself for an opening statement

00:00:50Good morning, everyone. I first would like to take a moment to say thank you to our witnesses for your travel

00:00:55Thank you coming before the committee today to discuss the destroying America's best idea

00:01:00Biden's border crisis desecrating National Park lands and damaging communities

00:01:06last September chairman and Westerman and I

00:01:10Visited New York City in the wake of Mayor Adams a Democrat predicting that the massive increase in migrants was destroying the city

00:01:17After being denied a tour of the processing center

00:01:20We visited Floyd Bennett field with local elected officials as well as representatives from the National Park Service an

00:01:27agreement to the lease site

00:01:29Which sits on National Park Service land had just been signed between the city of New York and the National Park Service

00:01:35Local residents local elected officials and even law enforcement repeatedly vocalized their concerns for the wrong

00:01:43Wrongly reached plan to house thousands of migrants on one of the largest green spaces in New York City

00:01:49We asked all the all kinds of questions about safety and security for both the employees and

00:01:54The migrants themselves all of our concerns have were ignored at this as at this time

00:02:00The focus was simply on housing more people at any cost no matter what rules needed to be bent

00:02:07Here we are nine months later. All the problems we predicted have come to pass. Let's quickly tick through them

00:02:13Crime in the local area has gone up

00:02:16Stress on local and part local and park law enforcement has increased

00:02:21Local citizens have experienced reduced access to green spaces

00:02:25Even the migrant population at the camp itself is not safe during a winter storm last year

00:02:29The migrants had to be evacuated to a local high school, which caused the students to miss school

00:02:34Above all building this camp did nothing to resolve the overall issue of reducing the number of illegal immigrants coming to the New York City

00:02:41seeking shelter

00:02:43The Biden administration

00:02:45Misguided immigration policies are at the heart of these issues since the beginning of this administration

00:02:49President Biden has rolled back many of the policies that helped reduce the number of illegal aliens coming to our border

00:02:55Through our border and entering our our cities just yesterday

00:02:59Suspected terrorists from with ISIS ties were arrested by ice in New York City and several other cities

00:03:04And there were migrants who crossed the border southern border just last year

00:03:09The Border Patrol has lost nearly a quarter of its workforce since October of 2020 twice as many agents have chosen to retire early

00:03:16compared to the Obama and Trump administrations

00:03:19one agent even

00:03:21Commented that quote the administration is so bad for morale

00:03:26That I am NOT trying to be political. I'm just speaking the facts

00:03:30It's become political catching releases demoralizing the agents and a quote

00:03:34In fact, the situation has gotten so bad during President Biden's time in office

00:03:38The President Biden himself is now desperately attempting to reverse this course and limit asylum claims with an effect with an executive order

00:03:45but this action comes a little too little too late and

00:03:49Further supports this committee's conviction that housing migrants on National Park land is neither an appropriate use of the nation's most treasured places

00:03:57Nor does it address the Biden administration's border crisis?

00:04:00The community is thoroughly investigating Biden's administration's decision to lease Floyd Bennett Field and has issued

00:04:07requests for document productions held briefings conducted interviews involving several federal entities involving the Department of Interior National Park Service

00:04:16Department of Homeland Security and the executive office of the president

00:04:19The committee will continue to look move forward with this investigation until the Biden administration that only comp commits to a rapid

00:04:26Demobilization plan for the camp at Floyd Bennett Field, but also acknowledged their mistakes in creating this precedent

00:04:33America's National Parks are called our nation's best idea

00:04:36The National Park Service mission is to quote preserve

00:04:40Unimpaired and the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment education and inspiration

00:04:47of this and future generations and a quote

00:04:50Housing migrants at National Park Service land sets a dangerous precedent that left unchecked

00:04:54Could expand into either public highlands and national parks transforming the legacy of a park system from one of net

00:05:01natural beauty to a pay-for-play system prioritizing migrants over our strained our

00:05:08Shared natural and national and cultural history the Floyd Bennett Field lease expires in September

00:05:14The Biden administration has so far remained silent about this future plans for the migrant camp at Floyd Bennett Field

00:05:20However, I want to make sure we're clear about this. The lease must end and it will in January

00:05:25I'm now recognizing the ranking member for her opening statement

00:05:30All right. Well, good morning everyone. And thank you. Mr. Chairman. I want to welcome our witnesses who've traveled to be here today

00:05:36This is the sixth hearing that the house natural

00:05:41Resources committee has had on the topic of

00:05:45Immigration and it's the fourth meeting that we've had in this subcommittee

00:05:49Now I want to remind my colleagues that this is the Natural Resources Committee not the Homeland Security

00:05:57Committee and this is also the second hearing in a row in which the Republican leadership of this committee has invited a witness

00:06:05Who is an active candidate running for Congress?

00:06:09So I want to just remind my colleagues

00:06:12that our

00:06:14Taxpayer dollars are not to be used for political purposes or is a campaign stop for political

00:06:21Activities and in addition to that I think it's worth noting that this committee was originally scheduled for earlier in the morning

00:06:28But was rescheduled so that Donald Trump could meet with

00:06:32House Republicans off campus for a political rally this morning

00:06:37So here we are in spite of all of that having an immigration hearing this morning in the House Natural Resources

00:06:44Committee under the pretense of

00:06:47Concern about a federal lease on public lands

00:06:51But I guess my question is is if folks are so concerned about federal leases

00:06:56Why did they not raise their voices when Donald Trump violated the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution and a federal lease with the GSA?

00:07:05So that he could use the National Post Office building here on

00:07:09Pennsylvania Avenue to open a Trump Hotel and use it as a personal piggy bank during his presidency as

00:07:17Foreign governments spent millions of dollars at that hotel wall

00:07:21They were meeting with him in the Oval Office with official business

00:07:26Furthermore, he used one of our greatest national parks for a 4th of July campaign rally even against the objections of the local

00:07:34Tribes for whom it is a sacred place

00:07:37Or what about Attorney Barr?

00:07:41Using his authority to call Park Police and National Guard troops in to take

00:07:48public citizens out of Lafayette Park

00:07:50Which is also a public space in front of the White House after he did not want them there

00:07:56protesting after the death of George Floyd or

00:08:01When the Trump administration blasted through public lands and habitats to advance their various

00:08:08priorities around the development of natural resources

00:08:11and my question is why didn't the leadership of this committee raise their voices then and

00:08:17Also, if we're so concerned about NEPA, which I am excited to hear that we're suddenly concerned about NEPA. Why is it that they

00:08:26Demanded as part of the flesh of the

00:08:30negotiation over the Fiscal Responsibility

00:08:33Act, which they are now violating during their budget hearings

00:08:37That we undermine the fundamentals of NEPA in order to keep the US economy from shutting down

00:08:44So I find it extremely

00:08:46Ironic that we're here today and what appears to be more like a New York State or New York City

00:08:53Assembly meeting to talk about a

00:08:56Park in New York and the use of a small piece of an airstrip in this park

00:09:04for housing

00:09:06Individuals who have come to this country to seek asylum

00:09:09So what is this hearing actually about? Is it actually about public lands?

00:09:13Is it about NEPA or is it about using this committee for campaign activities to advance a political agenda?

00:09:20Agenda during a campaign year and to advance political candidates

00:09:24in fact

00:09:25We tried to pass bipartisan immigration reform here in Congress just a few months ago

00:09:32And the very gentleman that these folks have been meeting with this morning told them to not support

00:09:39Bipartisan immigration reform because it was a good issue for Donald Trump to campaign on

00:09:44So I just find it very rich that we're sitting here this morning to talk about

00:09:50violations of federal leases of which there's been

00:09:54Extremely lengthy due diligence to make sure that that did not occur

00:09:59Talking about immigration and demonizing immigrants who come to one of the greatest

00:10:05Cities in the world who has welcomed immigrants with opened arms for literally centuries

00:10:13In a committee that does not have jurisdiction to work on these issues

00:10:17So I look forward to the conversation I do welcome our public officials for joining us today

00:10:23This is the people's house. This is your house, but this is not a campaign stop and with that I yield back. I

00:10:30find it rich I

00:10:33Find our natural resources our greatest natural resources of people. I'm looking at the people of this country. That's what we have something to do. I

00:10:41Would like to now introduce our witnesses first, we have miss Jamie Williams assembly member 59th District, New York City Assembly

00:10:48Mr. Paul King president Bell Harbor property owners Association miss Amy Flisher

00:10:53director of refugee and migrant rights Amnesty International USA

00:10:57Miss Elizabeth Morrissey president Madison Marine Park Homecrest Civic Association

00:11:03Gotta say that three times and tongue twister. Let me remind the witnesses that you're under committee rules

00:11:08You must limit your oral statements to five minutes

00:11:11But your whole statement would entire statement will appear in their hearing record to begin your testimony

00:11:15Please press the on building a button so we can all hear you

00:11:19It'll stay green for the first four minutes and I'll turn in yellow when you see it red kind of wrap it up

00:11:23So we can keep that I

00:11:31Now will recognize miss Williams for her five minutes, thank you for coming back

00:11:39Here you go, okay

00:11:41Good morning, Chairman. Go sir ranking member Melanie Stansbury and members of the committee

00:11:47Thank you for inviting me here today. My name is Jamie Williams and I represent the 59th Assembly District in New York State

00:11:54Last September without any input from the surrounding communities

00:11:58National Park Service entered into an agreement with the New York City to house migrants in tents at Floyd Bennett field

00:12:07No thought was put into how it would affect taxpaying New Yorkers who live and work in Marine Park Mill Basin

00:12:14Garrison Beach Mill Island the Rockaways and other parts of the surrounding area

00:12:20No care was given to how this would affect our already depleted police precinct or how?

00:12:27Transportation would be affected how the conditions of our park would be affected

00:12:32What would this do to our local businesses with such an influx of

00:12:372,000 people meant for residents in the surrounding areas

00:12:41No one was making those decisions

00:12:44Cared about the answers to those questions

00:12:47Over the last nine months. We have seen the answers to those questions come to life

00:12:52We see increased response time to crimes

00:12:56Overcrowded buses where fights break out amongst the migrants

00:13:00We see people illegally selling food in our streets with babies strapped to their backs

00:13:05young school-age children who instead of being in class is sitting on a median or

00:13:12Walking in and out of traffic selling chocolate bars

00:13:15We see migrants begging at our doors and trying our door handles at all hours of the day and night

00:13:22We have seen migrants attempting to jump in front of cars

00:13:27illegal unlicensed and unregistered scooters zooming in and out of traffic lanes carelessly

00:13:33We see residents unable to shop at our local stores without being harassed by the migrants who are

00:13:41Aggressively panhandling in our parking lots and I was still parking lots. We see our schools

00:13:48Inundated by more students who rarely show up to class on time disrupting the day for the children who are ready

00:13:55To learn and who are on time

00:13:57We have seen the conditions that our park deteriorate with garbage thrown everywhere

00:14:03trash going into the waters after beach parties

00:14:06children swimming in our

00:14:08Waterways without any type of supervision where there's clearly no swimming signs

00:14:14Illegal unregistered cars parked all over our grassland area

00:14:18we've had fights breaking out where the security guards are running for their lives a

00:14:24Slashing and a strangulation within the confines of the base camp and let me make it clear

00:14:29These are the events that we know about

00:14:31Reports from the police officers and park police have stated that the staff at the compound are hiding

00:14:38What is happening in the base camp?

00:14:40Oftentimes not calling a calling it a criminal activity and are unwilling to allow

00:14:47law enforcement into the tents the powers that

00:14:52Be knew that this was a recipe for disaster

00:14:55They knew that putting 2,000 people who claim they were desperate and seeking a silent

00:15:01Asylum in a different place of desperation was not going to go well

00:15:05So what did they do?

00:15:07They said that it was exaggerated by us and when we asked the questions

00:15:11They said that they will circle back

00:15:13The only thing that I can say to those who made those decisions is that we told you so we told you that this

00:15:19Was no place to house

00:15:21these

00:15:22Individuals we told you that this base camp would negatively affect communities and residents

00:15:27We told you that it would affect our transportation and our quality of life

00:15:32The National Park Service mission is to preserve unimpaired natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park

00:15:40system for the enjoyment education and

00:15:43inspiration of this and future generations

00:15:46Which got with garbage thrown about all cars leaking into our grasslands and dangerous ebikes and scooters

00:15:54Carelessly being placed and used on our park

00:15:58Land evades that mission as we near the end of the lease we gain

00:16:03We are here again once more and we ask that this lease

00:16:09Be not be renewed

00:16:11We need to restore our National Park and bring back the quality of life that the residents of the communities. I serve deserve

00:16:19Thank you

00:16:21Thank you very much. Miss Williams. I now recognize. Mr. King for his five minutes

00:16:28Thank

00:16:30You good morning chairman

00:16:33Just like a zoom meeting do it all the time

00:16:36Good meeting chairman goes are ranking Mary member Stansbury members of the committee. My name is Paul King

00:16:42I'm a longtime civic leader on the Rockway Peninsula, which is just across Jamaica Bay from Floyd Bennett Field

00:16:47I'm currently president of the Bell Harbor Property Owners Association. I'm also a member of Queens Community Board 14

00:16:54I'm 60 years old and I've lived every one of those years within four miles of Floyd Bennett Field

00:17:00I use Floyd Bennett Field and Gateway National Recreation Area for youth sports kayaking biking and camping

00:17:07Uninformed critics mock Floyd Bennett Field is just an old airport and it's true

00:17:12The federal government terribly neglects Floyd Bennett Field and Fort Tilden and Charles Park

00:17:18But the fields and Jamaica Bay are wonderful natural resources in our crowded boroughs of

00:17:25Brooklyn and Queens where we our citizens don't have a lot of space to enjoy nature

00:17:30Now from the moment governor Kathy Hochul said she wanted a migrant camp in Floyd Bennett Field

00:17:35People from across the political spectrum said it was a bad idea a flat-out mistake local civic associations

00:17:42sports organizations park advocates the Legal Aid Society

00:17:47Indeed my congressman Gregory Meeks a Democrat

00:17:50Said putting a tent city in Floyd Bennett Field was a terrible idea

00:17:54Perhaps even you inhumane the congressman knows that Floyd Bennett Field is exposed and cold in the winter

00:18:00It's a floodplain that's susceptible to storm surges during hurricanes

00:18:05It makes no sense

00:18:07But the congressman also said the migrant camp would not happen because housing on the National Park is against the law

00:18:12he said only an emergency declaration by President Biden would make it leap make it legal and

00:18:18Congressman Meeks was right. The camp is illegal. It directly violates the act of Congress to create a gateway

00:18:25It's also a terrible place for people to live

00:18:27We've had one big rainstorm not a hurricane not a big nor'easter and the camp had to be evacuated

00:18:33I mean, it seems that Floyd Bennett Fields only

00:18:36Benefit is for it's a place where Matt Mayor Adams can hide the migrants far away from Manhattan

00:18:42Now unfortunately as Assemblywoman Williams was saying all of the residual effects

00:18:47The direct harm to our neighboring communities in Brooklyn and Rockaway the things that we warned about are coming true

00:18:54You know our neighborhoods are where New Yorkers live their American dream our parents and grandparents worked hard and sacrificed to create safe spaces for their

00:19:02Children, we're doing the same for our children, but now crime and lawlessness are increasing in our communities

00:19:10You know migrants on these illegal scooters not only weave in and out of traffic they run through stop signs red lights

00:19:16They even fly down the sidewalks at high speed. They don't respect our laws or our safety

00:19:22Aggressive panhandling, you know, it's happening at schools and homes

00:19:26Just last week a migrant from Floyd Bennett Field was caught on video

00:19:30Climbing on to a second floor of Terrace in Neponset and trying to break into someone's house

00:19:34Our retail stores are suffering from shoplifting and lost customers

00:19:39We have migrants with small children, you know, not only standing in

00:19:43Boulevard meetings they're out on the highway hawking fruit and and and drinks and

00:19:49The park itself is being damaged. The park is being damaged and dumped on

00:19:55Our own working-class Americans are losing opportunities to earn money, you know, the list goes on but almost all of this was predictable and

00:20:04Ladies and gentlemen, the worst is yet to come

00:20:07Summertime utilization of the park spikes number of people who come to the beaches and Rockaway spikes just as well

00:20:14Thousands of in extra people including, you know

00:20:17Some of the folks who are proving to be bad guests will flow into neighborhoods that have limited services and very little police presence

00:20:25Similar to what the assemblywoman said it's a recipe for disaster

00:20:29In September hurricane season kicks in full force. The National Hurricane Season Center said this is going to be a bad year

00:20:35With as many as four to seven major storms

00:20:38Having literally been in the Atlantic Ocean during Sandy

00:20:42I can tell you you don't want to be in a tent a few feet above sea level when the big one hits

00:20:49Now as you know, New York City and the National Park Service, you know, almost certainly will extend the lease this September

00:20:56This is a mistake. It must not be allowed. It's bad for the migrants. It's bad for citizens

00:21:02It's bad for our National Park and it's bad for our National Park system since the you know

00:21:08MPS directors memo claiming this camp is consistent with the purpose of the park opens the door for every National Park

00:21:16To be used as a migrant camp

00:21:18So I asked the community to do everything in its power to provide relief to the citizens in Brooklyn and Queens

00:21:24To make sure that this temporary camp doesn't become permanent and to end the illegal lease in Floyd Bennett Field

00:21:30Thank you for your time. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. King. I now recognize miss Fisher for her five minutes

00:21:36Thank You chair Kosar and ranking member Sandsbury for the opportunity to testify this morning

00:21:42Amnesty International is a Nobel Prize winning global human rights organization committed to finding for a world in which every person

00:21:49Enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the director of refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty International

00:21:58USA I work to ensure the u.s. Is upholding these human rights obligations

00:22:03Particularly article 14 stating that everyone has the right to seek and enjoy asylum from persecution and article 25

00:22:11Establishing that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family

00:22:18Including food clothing housing and medical care and necessary social services

00:22:23And while I am here today in my capacity in my professional capacity and my personal life

00:22:29I am a proud volunteer with migrant solidarity mutual aid an organization here in Washington DC made up of hundreds of volunteers

00:22:37Community organizations and faith institutions that has welcomed thousands of newcomers to our community

00:22:43I have spent my free time welcoming new arrivals off of buses helping to fill out immigration applications sorting and distributing donations

00:22:52And delivering furniture and household goods to my new neighbors and earlier this year

00:22:57My family and I provided shelter in our home for an asylum seeking family who was left on the winter streets by DC's office of

00:23:04Migrant services that had a three night shelter limit at the time this one-year-old girl and her sweet parents stayed in our home

00:23:11And became an extension of our family until they were able to move to an apartment of their own

00:23:16It is through this personal experience that I know the joy of welcoming people with dignity

00:23:21And it is in my capacity as the director of refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty

00:23:25That I know that the US has an obligation to do so under international law

00:23:29The situation in New York City was a perfect storm of high numbers of newcomers

00:23:34Exacerbated by Governor Abbott's busing program and people arriving without existing resources in the US

00:23:40As New York City was struggling to respond to high numbers of new arrivals

00:23:44There was a lack of focus on case management housing and job programs

00:23:48Limited access to work permits and processing delays further exacerbated the issue

00:23:53By restricting a people's ability to work and save money to move out of shelters and into permanent housing

00:23:59This led to the shelter population outpacing capacity in New York City

00:24:03And the city finding far more inaccessible places to shelter its new residents like Floyd Bennett Field

00:24:09Alternatively, a coordinated reception system that meets the immediate and medium term needs of people seeking safety

00:24:16Would cut the chaos and dysfunction both at the border and the interior

00:24:21While local communities reap the windfall benefits of new federal funding avenues

00:24:26Spending power of new arrivals and new tax revenue

00:24:30A recent study by the Department of Health and Human Services found that resettled refugees and asylees

00:24:36Contributed billions more in federal, state, and local government revenues than they received in services

00:24:41Across the country, programs that provide case management, legal assistance, and social services

00:24:47Have been proven to be cost effective, help people leave shelters into permanent housing

00:24:52And ensure compliance with immigration requirements

00:24:56Specifically, Congress should robustly fund the shelter and services program

00:25:01That provides financial support to local governments and community organizations

00:25:05To offer immediate reception services to new arrivals

00:25:08Expand the successful case management pilot program

00:25:12And create a destination reception fund

00:25:15To send federal dollars to state, local, and tribal communities

00:25:18To build medium term reception programs that promote self-sufficiency

00:25:22And bolster local capacity to ensure new and old community members have what they need to thrive

00:25:28I'll close with the story of Carla

00:25:30Who fled Venezuela with her husband and two children to seek safety and security

00:25:34When they arrived in Washington, D.C. in October 2022

00:25:38They were provided shelter in a hotel room

00:25:41Carla and her husband first found under the table work

00:25:44Until they could pay an attorney and file for asylum

00:25:47Finally, after saving up more money

00:25:49They were able to move out of the shelter and into their new apartment in October of 2023

00:25:55Carla benefited from welcoming services

00:25:58But says she could have moved out of the shelter sooner

00:26:00With access to legal assistance, rental assistance, and case management

00:26:05A licensed cosmetologist in Venezuela

00:26:08Carla has opened a cosmetology business in her new home

00:26:11And hopes to expand to hire workers and give back to her new community

00:26:15This April, Carla filed taxes for the first time

00:26:18And is putting her newly minted work permit to good use

00:26:21And she's grateful to this country for all that it has given her

00:26:24People seeking safety don't damage our communities

00:26:27They make them more vibrant and help our economies grow

00:26:30I encourage Congress to invest in solutions

00:26:33That uphold the dignity and human rights of all of our communities

00:26:36Both those who have called the U.S. home for generations

00:26:39And those arriving to our borders with dreams

00:26:41Thank you

00:26:43Thank you very much, Ms. Fletcher

00:26:45And now Ms. Morrissey, you're recognized for five minutes

00:26:48Good morning, Chairman Gosar and Ranking Member

00:26:51Thank you for inviting me to testify today

00:26:54My name is Elizabeth Morrissey, a civic leader for Marine Park-Madison Homecrest Civic Association

00:26:58A community in South Brooklyn where Floyd Bennett Field is located

00:27:03I'm also a retired New York City Police Department Lieutenant

00:27:06And have lived in the area for 52 years

00:27:09As you're aware, the state and the city stored assistance

00:27:12From the federal government through the Department of the Interior

00:27:15To house thousands of migrants at Floyd Bennett Field

00:27:18As a local civic leaders and residents, we were told the city had no other options

00:27:23Floyd Bennett Field is a national park with significant history

00:27:28Historic value to our community

00:27:30If you have not visited, you would also understand that the park has provided a lot of resources

00:27:35Including things like aviation club and outdoor spaces for our residents and visitors

00:27:40That being said, it does not have proper infrastructure for housing people

00:27:44When we first heard the rumors of this lease being signed

00:27:47Between the National Park Service and the City of New York

00:27:50As involved citizens, we tried to find an official way to make our voices heard

00:27:55However, we repeatedly denied our community

00:27:58We tried to explain the challenges of Floyd Bennett Field

00:28:02Including the fact that it lacks infrastructure and is located on a flood plain

00:28:06We were ignored

00:28:08Instead, the city chose to prioritize the rights of sheltering migrants at this site in particular

00:28:12My question is, where do the rights of migrants end and our rights begin as taxpayers?

00:28:17If you were a Floyd Bennett Field today

00:28:20You would realize quickly that you are not allowed access to the migrant camp

00:28:23Unless you are a migrant

00:28:24As a taxpayer and local civic leader, I have no right to enter the shelter

00:28:29Even local NYPD officers have difficulty entering the site when called

00:28:33Without first being approved by hired private security

00:28:36However, migrants can enter our community with little to no documentation

00:28:41And stay in the camp which houses families

00:28:44Particularly all without documentation

00:28:46You and I would need to get basic driver's licenses

00:28:49It is not humane to house thousands and thousands of migrants in a flood zone

00:28:51Remember Sandy, we were underwater

00:28:54One storm over the past few months was so bad

00:28:57The city had to evacuate the migrants and move them to a local high school gym

00:29:00James Madison for shelter

00:29:02Which resulted in the school being closed the next day to our kids

00:29:05Is that right?

00:29:07Is it right and humane for our community to observe migrant children

00:29:10Sometimes accompanied and sometimes not with parents

00:29:13Begging and selling candy and fruit on the Flatbush Avenue median

00:29:18Between our four lanes of traffic on each side

00:29:21Children are sometimes doing it during school hours

00:29:24Floyd Bennett is the very end of Brooklyn

00:29:27So kids have to be bused all over the school to attend

00:29:30No one is enforcing that right

00:29:32The community also has to avoid migrants from jumping in front of cars while driving

00:29:36Migrants are trying to get hit or say they were hit to demand money

00:29:39Or they will call the police

00:29:41The scheme has been reported on several news publications as recently as last week

00:29:45Is that right?

00:29:46Basic errands to local businesses have become torturous

00:29:50Between begging and shopping parking lots

00:29:52And aggressive panhandling of migrants to carry packages for money

00:29:56Home Depot and Lowe's parking lots are full of migrants

00:29:59Causing fear to our elderly and angering others

00:30:02Our community members are trying to run simple errands on their days off

00:30:06From work for their families

00:30:08Is that right?

00:30:10There are videos of large fights breaking out in Floyd Bennett

00:30:12There are domestic calls putting a greater strain on our first responders

00:30:16Our city agencies are already low on manpower

00:30:19The state cannot house thousands and thousands of migrants in close quarters

00:30:23Basically like caged animals and think violence will not happen

00:30:26Is that right?

00:30:28Again, the worst part of the children are being used by migrant parents to follow delivery trucks

00:30:32And steal packages from the trucks

00:30:34And community stoops and airways

00:30:36Ringing doorbells, asking for money

00:30:38Is that right?

00:30:40Our local stores have migrants coming in and grabbing products

00:30:43Causing some to lock their doors

00:30:44Our local stores are struggling already

00:30:47The summer is coming

00:30:49Is it humane to leave migrants on tar mats in blazing sun

00:30:54For those who haven't visited Floyd Bennett prior to becoming a national park

00:30:59Once New York City's first airport

00:31:01It serves as an incredible piece of history

00:31:03But at the core it's an aviation base

00:31:05If our middle class community sees how wrong and inhumane this is

00:31:10I can understand how the rest of the world

00:31:11Particularly officials from the city and state of New York are blind to this

00:31:16I will end with this

00:31:18Things do not happen

00:31:20Things are made to happen

00:31:22John F. Kennedy

00:31:24Our state is making things happen that are not humane for anybody

00:31:27If there are loss of life this year from violence or heat

00:31:30The state and the city of New York made it happen

00:31:33Thank you

00:31:35Thank you very much

00:31:37We're now going to go to some members of the public

00:31:42Yeah thank you Mr. Chairman

00:31:45First of all Mr. King I want to say

00:31:47Your question you pose is very good

00:31:49Whose park is it next?

00:31:51Because I'm concerned about the national lakeshore that we have in Wisconsin

00:31:55Or is it going to be other national parks across our country that are going to be next?

00:32:00But I want to ask a question of Representative Williams

00:32:03Did the

00:32:05I see one of your statements here

00:32:07Says without any input from the surrounding communities

00:32:10Is that correct that the federal government didn't come in and coordinate with local communities

00:32:14And ask them is it okay to do this?

00:32:17How can we work out the logistics of making this happen?

00:32:22There was absolutely no input

00:32:24No communication whatsoever

00:32:26Regarding Floyd Bennettville

00:32:29To the residents of the assembly district

00:32:32Thank you

00:32:34Ms. Fisher do you think that

00:32:36The federal government should coordinate with local communities

00:32:39In situations like this rather than leaving them shut out

00:32:42As Representative Williams just said?

00:32:44I wholeheartedly agree

00:32:46I think when we are able to ensure

00:32:49That community members

00:32:51Local governments

00:32:53And people can come together to

00:32:55Work through solutions

00:32:57Then that is obviously ideal

00:32:59So you believe they should coordinate right?

00:33:00Yes

00:33:02That they should coordinate

00:33:04And you said people

00:33:06Referencing people fleeing violence and persecution

00:33:08In your testimony

00:33:10Should we be allowing people to come into this country

00:33:12Who have had over 10 million

00:33:14That are simply economic migrants

00:33:16Been to the border numerous times

00:33:18I've been to Panama down to the Darien Gap

00:33:20Should people be allowed in as economic migrants?

00:33:22I think the data actually shows a little bit of a different story

00:33:26Over three quarters of the people

00:33:28That file for asylum

00:33:30Eventually are able to stay in the United States

00:33:33Due to the fact that they are able to win their asylum cases

00:33:36Or find other forms of relief

00:33:38So this idea, this notion

00:33:40That the people that are arriving here

00:33:42Are coming from purely economic reasons

00:33:44Is not based in fact

00:33:46The migrants that I actually talked to

00:33:48Down on the border that said

00:33:50No we just came here because

00:33:52The border was announced that it was open

00:33:54January 20th of 2021

00:33:56Do you believe they should be allowed

00:33:58Into the United States

00:34:00Under asylum laws?

00:34:02I have been to the border

00:34:04Numbers of times

00:34:06Yes or no

00:34:08Should they be allowed in

00:34:10If they're simply economic migrants?

00:34:12Everyone has a human right to seek asylum

00:34:14It is up to the immigration courts

00:34:16To determine whether or not someone has

00:34:18A valid claim

00:34:20Is there anyone, Ms. Fisher

00:34:22That should not be allowed into our country

00:34:24That wants to come into the United States

00:34:26From a foreign country?

00:34:28Amnesty International does not

00:34:30Tell any country whether or not

00:34:32They should or should not be able

00:34:34To enforce their borders

00:34:36So there are some people that should be denied

00:34:38Entry into our country

00:34:40Is that what you're saying?

00:34:42That is the position of the United States

00:34:44To figure that themselves

00:34:46That cannot come at the expense

00:34:48Of the United States obligations

00:34:50To uphold the human right to seek asylum

00:34:52You talked about our obligation

00:34:54Under international law

00:34:56Do you believe international law

00:34:58Is a human right?

00:35:00No sir, I do not

00:35:02And that is why the United States

00:35:04Has long established

00:35:06That seeking asylum

00:35:08Is a human right

00:35:10Under domestic law

00:35:12In 1980, Congress passed

00:35:14The Refugee Act

00:35:16But the law also says

00:35:18You have to prove

00:35:20That you're a refugee, correct?

00:35:22No sir

00:35:24The law proves that people

00:35:26Have the opportunity

00:35:28To be determined

00:35:30Whether or not they have a way to stay

00:35:32Which is the process

00:35:34Of proving whether

00:35:36So it does say that under the law

00:35:38Is it humane to have

00:35:40Americans' earnings reduced

00:35:42Due to illegal immigrants

00:35:44Coming to take their jobs

00:35:46In the last jobs report

00:35:48Half of the jobs that are created

00:35:50Here in America

00:35:52On this last jobs report

00:35:54Are going to people

00:35:56Who are here illegally

00:35:58And that's coming?

00:36:00There's actually no evidence

00:36:02That shows that immigration

00:36:04Has an impact on wages

00:36:06The United States

00:36:08Actually there is, Ms. Fisher

00:36:10If you go back to the

00:36:12Previous administration

00:36:14The people on the lowest

00:36:16Economic strata

00:36:18Their wages were actually

00:36:20Going up significantly

00:36:22I want to get just a couple

00:36:24Other questions in

00:36:26Should taxpayers have to

00:36:28Pay for those programs

00:36:30If they request it?

00:36:32Those types of programs

00:36:34Are significantly less costly

00:36:36Than the programs

00:36:38That we have in the moment

00:36:40Should they have to pay

00:36:42For attorneys for these people?

00:36:44The right to counsel

00:36:46In court is a bedrock

00:36:48Of our criminal justice system

00:36:50Should they have to pay

00:36:52For a gym membership?

00:36:54If a person you're referencing

00:36:56Should they have to pay

00:36:58For any such program?

00:37:00We may go

00:37:02Gentleman is out of time

00:37:04We may go second round

00:37:06Gentleman from New Mexico

00:37:08Is recognized

00:37:10All right, well thank you

00:37:12Mr. Chairman

00:37:14One quick note

00:37:16We're getting some messages

00:37:18That folks are having trouble

00:37:20Hearing so if you can speak

00:37:22Up in the microphones

00:37:24That would be helpful

00:37:26First of all I want to say

00:37:28That what you're seeing

00:37:30And hearing on the dais

00:37:32Is in any way dismissive

00:37:34Of the local community's

00:37:36Concerns about what

00:37:38You're experiencing

00:37:40It's just about process

00:37:42It's about how the resources

00:37:44Of this committee are used

00:37:46The kinds of issues

00:37:48That are within the

00:37:50Jurisdiction of this committee

00:37:52And what this committee

00:37:54Is actually tasked with

00:37:56So I do want to talk a little

00:37:58To ask some follow-up

00:38:00Questions of Ms. Fisher

00:38:02Because I think it's really

00:38:04Important for people to

00:38:06Understand what is driving

00:38:08Immigration on a global scale

00:38:10We're seeing immigrants

00:38:12All across the world

00:38:14Seeking asylum not only

00:38:16In the United States

00:38:18But also across other

00:38:20Countries in Europe and Asia

00:38:22We have immigrants coming

00:38:24From Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti,

00:38:26Turkey, many West African

00:38:28Countries, and what are

00:38:30The factors for these

00:38:32Families that are trying

00:38:34To find asylum?

00:38:36Thank you so much for

00:38:38The question.

00:38:40As you noted, as of the

00:38:42End of September 2023

00:38:44There were over 114

00:38:46Million people forcibly

00:38:48Displaced worldwide.

00:38:50I think it's important

00:38:52To note that over 76%

00:38:54Of those people are

00:38:56Actually hosted in low

00:38:58Income countries and

00:39:00Are mostly coming from

00:39:02Countries like Venezuela,

00:39:04Cuba, Nicaragua, Colombia,

00:39:06Honduras, Haiti, as you

00:39:08Mentioned.

00:39:10In Venezuela there is a

00:39:12Lack of access to economic

00:39:14And social rights and the

00:39:16Majority of the population

00:39:18There is experiencing

00:39:20Extreme food insecurity.

00:39:22Notably critics of

00:39:24President Maduro's

00:39:26Government are arbitrarily

00:39:28Deporting people to

00:39:30Venezuela.

00:39:32There is an

00:39:34Amnesty has documented

00:39:36That people that have

00:39:38Been deported to

00:39:40Venezuela have faced

00:39:42Arbitrary arrest.

00:39:44People come from all

00:39:46Over.

00:39:48When I was most recently

00:39:50At the border I had the

00:39:52Opportunity of speaking

00:39:54To a group of Afghans

00:39:56Who were seeking

00:39:58Immigration.

00:40:00They were asking me

00:40:02Why is it so

00:40:04Important for people

00:40:06To understand.

00:40:08I represent New

00:40:10Mexico.

00:40:12Every state is a

00:40:14Border state.

00:40:16New Mexico is an

00:40:18Actual border state.

00:40:20We have the

00:40:22Opportunity through

00:40:24Institutions and

00:40:26Programs and services

00:40:28To help people

00:40:30To understand

00:40:32That it is

00:40:34Not unlike

00:40:36Probably everyone

00:40:38In this room.

00:40:40Unless you are

00:40:42Indigenous or

00:40:44Black your journey

00:40:46To get here

00:40:48To the United

00:40:49States was probably

00:40:51Not unlike the

00:40:53Journeys that

00:40:55The people

00:40:56Of New

00:40:57Mexico have

00:40:58Been through.

00:41:00And really

00:41:02Imagine my own

00:41:04Ancestors who many

00:41:06Of whom came to

00:41:08The United States

00:41:10In the 1850s at

00:41:11The height of the

00:41:13Irish potato famine.

00:41:15It's amazing to me

00:41:17When you sit in

00:41:19Hearings like this

00:41:21Because literally the

00:41:23Rhetoric that you're

00:41:24Hearing is

00:41:26The diminishing

00:41:28Of people

00:41:30And their

00:41:31Struggles and

00:41:32Whether or not

00:41:33They deserve to

00:41:34Be here the

00:41:35Diminishing of

00:41:36Their ethnicity

00:41:37Their culture

00:41:38Their language

00:41:39The diminishing

00:41:40Of whether or

00:41:41Not it is

00:41:42Appropriate for

00:41:43Women and

00:41:44Children who

00:41:45Are facing

00:41:46Rape and

00:41:47Political violence

00:41:48In their

00:41:49Country to

00:41:50Come through

00:41:51The United

00:41:52States.

00:41:53So it's

00:41:54Disturbing to

00:41:55Hear and

00:41:56Especially in a

00:41:57Committee like

00:41:58This to be

00:41:59Used in this

00:42:00Way.

00:42:01But you know the

00:42:02Other question I

00:42:03Want to ask and

00:42:04Like I said I

00:42:05Don't want to

00:42:06Diminish the

00:42:07Very serious

00:42:08Issues that have

00:42:09Been raised by

00:42:10Our local

00:42:11Officials and

00:42:12Community

00:42:13Residents and

00:42:14I know we're

00:42:15Going to do a

00:42:16Second round so

00:42:17I'll save my

00:42:18Questions about

00:42:19This is how

00:42:20We can help

00:42:21Create a more

00:42:22Equitable

00:42:23Community

00:42:24Through bipartisan

00:42:25Immigration reform and

00:42:26To make sure that

00:42:27We can address

00:42:28These local

00:42:29Concerns for

00:42:30Communities that

00:42:31Are receiving

00:42:32Large numbers of

00:42:33Immigrants and

00:42:34With that I'll

00:42:35Yield back and

00:42:36Hold for the

00:42:37Second round.

00:42:38I think the

00:42:39Gentle lady from

00:42:40New Mexico the

00:42:41Gentleman from

00:42:42The great city of

00:42:43Arkansas the

00:42:44Chair of the

00:42:45Main committee

00:42:46Ms. Westerman is

00:42:47Recognized for

00:42:48Five minutes.

00:42:49Thank you

00:42:50Chairman Gosar and

00:42:51Ms. Westerman.

00:42:52I want to talk

00:42:53A bit more about

00:42:54How this process

00:42:55Of leasing

00:42:56National park

00:42:57Land for a

00:42:58Migrant camp

00:42:59Circumvented the

00:43:00Rules for political

00:43:01Purposes.

00:43:02This is something

00:43:03That we've seen

00:43:04Time and time

00:43:05Again from the

00:43:06Biden

00:43:07Administration.

00:43:08If you read the

00:43:09Lease signed

00:43:10Between the

00:43:11National park

00:43:12Service and

00:43:13The city of

00:43:14New York it

00:43:15Correctly

00:43:16Identifies

00:43:17Floyd Bennett

00:43:18Field as

00:43:19Historic property.

00:43:20It appears

00:43:21It has been

00:43:22Waived.

00:43:23Rather the

00:43:24Lease refers to

00:43:25Memo signed

00:43:26By director

00:43:27Sams that

00:43:28Notes that city

00:43:29Will make

00:43:30Upgrades and

00:43:31Improvements to

00:43:32The historic area

00:43:33Once the lease

00:43:34Expires.

00:43:35Now this is an

00:43:36Interesting turn of

00:43:37Events.

00:43:38Essentially there

00:43:39Is no guarantee

00:43:40That either

00:43:41Construction nor

00:43:42The existence of

00:43:43The migrant camp

00:43:44Will not endanger

00:43:45The historic area.

00:43:46Something that

00:43:47Would generally be

00:43:48Required.

00:43:49In addition to

00:43:50Accepting a

00:43:51Promise of

00:43:52Future payments

00:43:53For improvements

00:43:54To the area

00:43:55Basically they're

00:43:56Accepting a

00:43:57Payoff for the

00:43:58Lease.

00:43:59Now I would

00:44:00Like to know

00:44:01More if this is

00:44:02The norm for

00:44:03The Biden

00:44:04Administration

00:44:05These days but

00:44:06Those decision

00:44:07Makers don't

00:44:08Always want to

00:44:09Answer questions

00:44:10In a public

00:44:11Setting.

00:44:12I'm adding

00:44:13Both a copy of

00:44:14The lease

00:44:15Agreement and

00:44:16Memo for the

00:44:17Record.

00:44:18I would

00:44:19Like to know

00:44:20More if this

00:44:21Is the norm for

00:44:22The Biden

00:44:23Administration

00:44:24These days but

00:44:25Those decision

00:44:26Makers don't

00:44:27Always want to

00:44:28Answer questions

00:44:29In a public

00:44:30Setting.

00:44:31I'm adding

00:44:32Both a copy of

00:44:33The lease

00:44:34Agreement and

00:44:35Memo for the

00:44:36Record.

00:44:37I'm adding

00:44:38Both a copy of

00:44:39The lease

00:44:40Agreement and

00:44:41Memo for the

00:44:42Record.

00:44:43I'm adding

00:44:44Both a copy of

00:44:45The lease

00:44:46Agreement and

00:44:47Memo for the

00:44:48Record.

00:44:49I'm adding

00:44:50Both a copy of

00:44:51The lease

00:44:52Agreement and

00:44:53Memo for the

00:44:54Record.

00:44:55I'm adding

00:44:56Both a copy of

00:44:57The lease

00:44:58Agreement and

00:44:59Memo for the

00:45:00Record.

00:45:01I'm adding

00:45:02Both a copy of

00:45:03The lease

00:45:04Agreement and

00:45:05Memo for the

00:45:06Record.

00:45:07I'm adding

00:45:08Both a copy of

00:45:09The lease

00:45:10Agreement and

00:45:11Memo for the

00:45:12Record.

00:45:13I'm adding

00:45:14Both a copy of

00:45:15The lease

00:45:16Agreement and

00:45:17Memo for the

00:45:18Record.

00:45:19I'm adding

00:45:20Both a copy of

00:45:21The lease

00:45:22Agreement and

00:45:23Memo for the

00:45:24Record.

00:45:25I'm adding

00:45:26Both a copy of

00:45:27The lease

00:45:28Agreement and

00:45:29Memo for the

00:45:30Record.

00:45:31I'm adding

00:45:32Both a copy of

00:45:33The lease

00:45:34Agreement and

00:45:35Memo for the

00:45:36Record.

00:45:37I'm adding

00:45:38Both a copy of

00:45:39The lease

00:45:40Agreement and

00:45:41Memo for the

00:45:42Record.

00:45:43I'm adding

00:45:44Both a copy of

00:45:45The lease

00:45:46Agreement and

00:45:47Memo for the

00:45:48Record.

00:45:49I'm adding

00:45:50Both a copy of

00:45:51The lease

00:45:52Agreement and

00:45:53Memo for the

00:45:54Record.

00:45:55I'm adding

00:45:56Both a copy of

00:45:57The lease

00:45:58Agreement and

00:45:59Memo for the

00:46:00Record.

00:46:01I'm adding

00:46:02Both a copy of

00:46:03The lease

00:46:04Agreement and

00:46:05Memo for the

00:46:06Record.

00:46:07I'm adding

00:46:08Both a copy of

00:46:09The lease

00:46:10Agreement and

00:46:11Memo for the

00:46:12Record.

00:46:13I'm adding

00:46:14Both a copy of

00:46:15The lease

00:46:16Agreement and

00:46:17Memo for the

00:46:18Record.

00:46:19I'm adding

00:46:20Both a copy of

00:46:21The lease

00:46:22Agreement and

00:46:23Memo for the

00:46:24Record.

00:46:25I'm adding

00:46:26Both a copy of

00:46:27The lease

00:46:28Agreement and

00:46:29Memo for the

00:46:30Record.

00:46:31I'm adding

00:46:32Both a copy of

00:46:33The lease

00:46:34Agreement and

00:46:35Memo for the

00:46:36Record.

00:46:37I'm adding

00:46:38Both a copy of

00:46:39The lease

00:46:40Agreement and

00:46:41Memo for the

00:46:42Record.

00:46:43I'm adding

00:46:44Both a copy of

00:46:45The lease

00:46:46Agreement and

00:46:47Memo for the

00:46:48Record.

00:46:49I'm adding

00:46:50Both a copy of

00:46:51The lease

00:46:52Agreement and

00:46:53Memo for the

00:46:54Record.

00:46:55I'm adding

00:46:56Both a copy of

00:46:57The lease

00:46:58Agreement and

00:46:59Memo for the

00:47:00Record.

00:47:01I'm adding

00:47:02Both a copy of

00:47:03The lease

00:47:04Agreement and

00:47:05Memo for the

00:47:06Record.

00:47:07I'm adding

00:47:08Both a copy of

00:47:09The lease

00:47:10Agreement and

00:47:11Memo for the

00:47:12Record.

00:47:13I'm adding

00:47:14Both a copy of

00:47:15The lease

00:47:16Agreement and

00:47:17Memo for the

00:47:18Record.

00:47:19I'm adding

00:47:20Both a copy of

00:47:21The lease

00:47:22Agreement and

00:47:23Memo for the

00:47:24Record.

00:47:25I'm adding

00:47:26Both a copy of

00:47:27The lease

00:47:28Agreement and

00:47:29Memo for the

00:47:30Record.

00:47:31I'm adding

00:47:32Both a copy of

00:47:33The lease

00:47:34Agreement and

00:47:35Memo for the

00:47:36Record.

00:47:37I'm adding

00:47:38Both a copy of

00:47:39The lease

00:47:40Agreement and

00:47:41Memo for the

00:47:42Record.

00:47:43I'm adding

00:47:44Both a copy of

00:47:45The lease

00:47:46Agreement and

00:47:47Memo for the

00:47:48Record.

00:47:49I'm adding

00:47:50Both a copy of

00:47:51The lease

00:47:52Agreement and

00:47:53Memo for the

00:47:54Record.

00:47:55I'm adding

00:47:56Both a copy of

00:47:57The lease

00:47:58Agreement and

00:47:59Memo for the

00:48:00Record.

00:48:01I'm adding

00:48:02Both a copy of

00:48:03The lease

00:48:04Agreement and

00:48:05Memo for the

00:48:06Record.

00:48:07I'm adding

00:48:08Both a copy of

00:48:09The lease

00:48:10Agreement and

00:48:11Memo for the

00:48:12Record.

00:48:13I'm adding

00:48:14Both a copy of

00:48:15The lease

00:48:16Agreement and

00:48:17Memo for the

00:48:18Record.

00:48:19I'm adding

00:48:20Both a copy of

00:48:21The lease

00:48:22Agreement and

00:48:23Memo for the

00:48:24Record.

00:48:25I'm adding

00:48:26Both a copy of

00:48:27The lease

00:48:28Agreement and

00:48:29Memo for the

00:48:30Record.

00:48:31I'm adding

00:48:32Both a copy of

00:48:33The lease

00:48:34Agreement and

00:48:35Memo for the

00:48:36Record.

00:48:37I'm adding

00:48:38Both a copy of

00:48:39The lease

00:48:40Agreement and

00:48:41Memo for the

00:48:42Record.

00:48:43I'm adding

00:48:44Both a copy of

00:48:45The lease

00:48:46Agreement and

00:48:47Memo for the

00:48:48Record.

00:48:49I'm adding

00:48:50Both a copy of

00:48:51The lease

00:48:52Agreement and

00:48:53Memo for the

00:48:54Record.

00:48:55I'm adding

00:48:56Both a copy of

00:48:57The lease

00:48:58Agreement and

00:48:59Memo for the

00:49:00Record.

00:49:01I'm adding

00:49:02Both a copy of

00:49:03The lease

00:49:04Agreement and

00:49:05Memo for the

00:49:06Record.

00:49:07I'm adding

00:49:08Both a copy of

00:49:09The lease

00:49:10Agreement and

00:49:11Memo for the

00:49:12Record.

00:49:38to have sponsorship from citizens here in our country and the fact that they

00:49:43were not provided with this incredibly large social safety net of federal

00:49:50support that calls the taxpayers across this country somewhere in the

00:49:54neighborhood of 150 to 500 billion dollars a year which we can't even keep

00:50:00track of because so much of this money is being laundered through

00:50:05non-governmental organizations. Chairman Gosar I appreciate you having this

00:50:09hearing today and the impact of President Biden's border policies

00:50:12extends far beyond the border regions now affecting our cherished national

00:50:18parks. Just last week we discussed the harms inflicted upon Montana's tribal

00:50:23lands but it is not just the tribes are being affected it's the entire West and

00:50:28the natural beauty that our parks and our countries hold most sacred. President

00:50:34Biden, Secretary Mayorkas and their entire administration have no interest

00:50:38in border security. We have long since established that. We've seen what this

00:50:43administration and their allies in New York have done by allowing illegal

00:50:47aliens to reside on Floyd Bennett Field turning a once beautiful park into a

00:50:52third-world slum. These destructive policies are not only affecting

00:50:57Americans park access and enjoyment but also local communities and farmers are

00:51:02being harmed by uncontrolled immigration as evidenced by Bozeman, Bozeman Montana

00:51:08twenty-nine percent increase in felony cases over the past year and that is

00:51:13attributed directly to the illegal immigration that's taking place on the

00:51:17southern border. Additionally fentanyl seizures by Montana Highway Patrol have

00:51:23increased from 188,823 doses in 2022 to a

00:51:30staggering 398,522 doses in 2023 resulting in the loss of 80 Montanans

00:51:41the fentanyl in 2023. So this crisis is touching the entire country. We must

00:51:48secure the border and protect the lives of our citizens. If we had a tally of

00:51:55death and destruction to the tune of 75 to 90,000 people a year that was being

00:52:02caused by by gunmen coming across the border we would attack that country but

00:52:09meanwhile we allow it to sit wide open because it's the southern border and

00:52:13fentanyl coming across. Furthermore the northern border must not be forgotten.

00:52:18US Customs and Border Protection reported that fiscal year 2023 saw 189

00:52:25thousand northern land border encounters which is a 73 percent

00:52:30increase from 2022 and a 59 597 percent increase from 2021. We've established

00:52:39again that the cartels once they find out where the pressure is being applied

00:52:45they adapt they change and they start utilizing different tactics and that's

00:52:51what we're seeing take place right now on the northern border. This issue is a

00:52:54especially critical as Montana's Glacier National Park lies on the border

00:52:59between the US and Canada. President Biden and his administration must

00:53:03provide real solutions for our border and help preserve the safety and beauty

00:53:08of our nation and its parks. You folks are dealing with this directly.

00:53:13Ms. Williams when you talk to fellow assembly members do they share the same

00:53:18concerns that you do or are you just an isolated outlier?

00:53:22Well you're absolutely right. Very few share this you know same concern that I

00:53:30have and a few other elected City Council members and that's why we are

00:53:36here today to bring light to what our communities are facing before you. Okay

00:53:41so we're gonna start talking to the communities then. Mr. King as a longtime

00:53:45community leader in New York has there ever been a time in your life where

00:53:49you've seen New York local government be so indifferent towards the interests

00:53:53of their taxpaying citizens and the communities in which they're supposed to

00:53:57protect? It's pretty rare I think there are times when they're desperate to move

00:54:03problems out of Manhattan and into the outer boroughs we all experienced that

00:54:06but this was egregious. So on the grassroots level what have you seen

00:54:12regarding the outcry related to the usage of Floyd Bennett Field and the

00:54:16extreme cost the city is undertaking to house these illegals? Well you know

00:54:21taxpayers in general don't like the amount of money that's being spent

00:54:24essentially $1,200 a cot per month and everything that goes with that and but I

00:54:31think people are more concerned about the elements that Ms. Williams was

00:54:34talking about the impact on the community that the degradation of the

00:54:38park and the lack you know the lessening ability of our families to use the park.

00:54:42And I can tell you as a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee I wish

00:54:47that this administration was as concerned about caring for our veterans

00:54:52as they are for caring and spending the money and the investment on the illegal

00:54:56aliens that we are seeing now. Mr. Chair I see now over in the corner of my eye

00:55:01the clock that I have exceeded my time so I yield back. Thank you gentlemen. The

00:55:05gentleman from Texas Mr. Hunt is recognized for five minutes. Thank you Mr.

00:55:10Chairman. Ms. Williams are you a Democrat? Yes I am. It's safe to say that you and I

00:55:17probably don't agree on a whole host of policy issues but I think that we could

00:55:22clearly see that the Biden administration Governor Hochul and Mayor

00:55:26Adams actions have resulted in the destruction of our national borders in

00:55:30your National Park ma'am. Texas where I am born and raised and from represent

00:55:36begged the federal government to end its destructive policies two years before

00:55:41illegal aliens arrived in New York and the large numbers that you are seeing

00:55:46today. Those pleas fell on deaf ears. The issue rose to such a level that Texas

00:55:52took it upon itself to fulfill the federal government's role in defending

00:55:56our nation's border and the citizens of this great nation. Again this is our job

00:56:00not Governor Abbott's job. What was our reward? We were sued by Biden's DOJ. So

00:56:07even when we tried to defend our borders and enforce laws already on the books we

00:56:12were stymied. You have testified today that local residents are concerned that

00:56:18these issues are being ignored daily and local residents repeatedly sought

00:56:23answers for simple for simple questions concerning the potential rise and crime

00:56:29near Floyd Bennett Field and those concerns as you have articulated fell on

00:56:34deaf ears. Our National Parks are the treasures of this country and show the

00:56:39awe-inspiring landscape that God has granted the greatest country in the

00:56:42world. They should never be used as shelters to house thousands of Biden's

00:56:47illegal immigrants. Ms. Morsi thank you again for being here and thank you for

00:56:52your service to the city of New York. As a career law enforcement official what

00:56:57are some of the problems New York leadership should have expected when

00:57:01they moved 2,000 people into Floyd Bennett Field? Just repeat repeat the

00:57:08yes yes what were some of the problems because as leadership in New York what

00:57:12were some of the problem problems that New York leadership should have expected

00:57:15prior to? What what do you think or what actions should have been taken prior to

00:57:21moving the 2,000 people to Floyd Bennett Field? Okay thank you for asking that

00:57:26question. First I just want to add that I'm not here to politicize political

00:57:32affiliations because I won't be here if I did think like that. I'm here to

00:57:37represent my community and this problem that we have. So if we go back to before

00:57:44the migrants came to Floyd Bennett Field if there was a sit-down conversation

00:57:49with all the elected officials from the top from the governor to the mayor and

00:57:56to the specific site which covers South Brooklyn my district and also South

00:58:03Queens you know probably we could have come up with a better solution. Instead

00:58:09of instead it was just a one or two individuals that made that decision

00:58:14leaving out other local electeds at the table without any answers for their

00:58:22community and that's the problem because we told them from day one it's a

00:58:27flood it's a flood zone area there's no infrastructure there's no it's lack of

00:58:33transportation and the open elements it's just not good for those and we're

00:58:39talking about families we're not talking about single men we're talking about

00:58:42families that are housed in the middle of Floyd Bennett Field. Next week we're

00:58:47going into extreme heat weather so just think of having a 10-15 minute walk from

00:58:55there to wait for the bus to then go to a supermarket that's five five miles

00:58:59away right. We know that the lease is coming up for renewal and these are the

00:59:05same things that we're bringing back to the table because it hasn't changed. It

00:59:09has not changed and I understand they're here for the American dream but at the

00:59:14same time we need to do the background checks vet these individuals or these

00:59:19families so then they can move to the next step. Thank you. Of course and again

00:59:24I applaud that this is this is not a political issue I mean we're on Capitol

00:59:28Hill so this is politics ma'am but but this is an American issue to something

00:59:31that we could all come together and to agree upon that those are the minimum

00:59:35things that we should have done in advance to move into the field and one

00:59:38more follow-up question for you ma'am. Prior to your public service you're in

00:59:41a master's degree in social work and practice in that field for more than

00:59:44eight years I thank you for your continued service. Falling back on your

00:59:47experience as a social worker your professional opinion what what

00:59:52ramifications will the policies of the Biden administration, Governor Hochul and

00:59:55Mayor Adams what will it have on the next generation of New Yorkers given

01:00:01your history in your field? Well I think there may be some trauma that's going to

01:00:07be included here with what is happening with the children being able to live in

01:00:12such conditions with everything that's going on I feel as though we have to do

01:00:19better and where does it stop? Where does it stop? So thank you thank you very much

01:00:27I'm out of time but again this is not a political issue this is an American

01:00:31issue and and I applaud you standing up even though it might be against stream

01:00:35for what are your colleagues might think thank you very much for being here.

01:00:38I think the gentleman from Texas the gentlewoman for Virginia is next you're

01:00:42up for five minutes Ms. Cagans. Thank you Mr. Chair and I apologize for being late

01:00:46I was in a meeting with the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security from

01:00:50Virginia who is in my office just talking about the rise in fentanyl the

01:00:54rise in terrorist activities especially at our bases which Virginia is home to

01:00:58so many of just our national security interests in the form of the military so

01:01:03listening to his concerns and he made that trip to Congress to plead with me

01:01:08what can we be can be done about Virginia we are not a border state but

01:01:11we are such a border state right now as every state in the country is and I

01:01:16don't sit on this subcommittee normally but but received permission to be here

01:01:21because it's an issue that I care so much about and was in the the whole

01:01:26Natural Resources Committee meeting when we talked about this and we talked about

01:01:29the living conditions for the the immigrants that are homed in these

01:01:34national parks and and I think my colleagues have done a great job just of

01:01:37describing why this is not acceptable and not conditions that we can continue

01:01:42but I wanted to start with with Miss Williams can you first tell me how many

01:01:46families are living or maybe just how many people are living at Floyd Bennett

01:01:51Field right now approximately 2,000 sorry approximately 2,000 okay and what

01:01:57do what do those families especially the children at summertime now what do

01:02:01they do during the day well the summer is now approaching but what I have seen

01:02:07at firsthand during school hours in front of our CVS local supermarkets we

01:02:13would have a few families sit there with their children with signs and which is

01:02:19even more horrific stand in the middle of traffic on the medians sometimes with

01:02:25babies strapped to their backs and toddlers or other school-aged children

01:02:30they're going into traffic trying to sell chocolate bars or mangoes and and

01:02:36such which is just quite dangerous and we really don't need something severe to

01:02:43happen because I just don't know how who will take responsibility for that you've

01:02:49seen an increase just in in begging and peddlers on the streets then for sure

01:02:53and sounds like unsafe and don't knocking at all times all hours of the

01:02:57night as well so and thank you just for being here and for telling those of us

01:03:03who sit in Congress about exactly what's going on and it really sounds like the

01:03:06Biden administration is just not listening to you all not doing right to

01:03:10your community but you and your constituents live you're living in the

01:03:13aftermath of this decision to build migrant the migrant camp at Floyd

01:03:16Bennett Field since the camp opened has the city of New York been willing to

01:03:20work with you at all about next steps meaning the plans that to close the camp

01:03:24and after the lease these expires in September they not including you in the

01:03:28discussion I would wish that they would include me as a matter of fact I am NOT

01:03:36treated as such because I have decided to move forward on this platform the

01:03:41communication is not transparent and it's always kind of blocked I'm not

01:03:47allowed to go into Floyd Bennett Field without advance notice so it's you know

01:03:55it's a little bit challenging is there any form of communication that you can

01:04:00tell your concerns you know to the city is did they give you do they do just can

01:04:06you write letters or what is your form of communication with of course we have

01:04:09written letters we have sent emails we have done for requests a plethora of

01:04:15different things and again just very little communication is given back who

01:04:23do you write the letters to you to govern our governor Kathy Hogle our mayor

01:04:29mayor Eric Adams also OEM and other electives as well just to loop them into

01:04:37as to where we're going so you can safely say that you feel like your needs

01:04:42are not being heard you're absolutely our needs are not being heard or met

01:04:46thank you hence what why we're here and mr. King and mr. miss Morrissey and both

01:04:51of you I'd like to hear how you would characterize New York City's response to

01:04:54the ongoing migrant migrant crisis and I'll start with you mr. King well I say

01:05:00you know as a civic leader we I find that you know we're very detached from

01:05:04what's going on we have an excellent City Council representative but that's

01:05:07not where the decisions are being made they're being pushed either from Albany

01:05:10in the governor's office or from Gracie Mansion and they're generally

01:05:15unresponsive to the needs of the community or you know try to downplay

01:05:19the impacts on the community because they just don't know what to do again I

01:05:21believe that they part of the reason they're in Floyd Bennett Field is that

01:05:24they don't want these problems on the street in Manhattan where they can be

01:05:27seen so hide them you know tuck them into our parks near our neighborhoods

01:05:32and you know we're feeling the impacts but there's no responsiveness from New

01:05:35York City itself from the government is that why they chose that location of

01:05:39Floyd Bennett Field just to because it's out of the way or well someone who

01:05:43lives in the outer boroughs I think that's always our suspicion you know

01:05:47that if there's a problem in Manhattan you know it thinks people they don't

01:05:52want to be in the streets of Manhattan they'll find a way to put them in the

01:05:55edges of Brooklyn and Queens and without services to support them usually and I

01:05:59understand that you've experienced negotiating a lease with the National

01:06:02Park Service on behalf of Rockaway Little League to allow children to play

01:06:05baseball Gateway National Recreation Area of which Floyd Bennett Field is a

01:06:08part is this correct that is correct and can you describe your experience

01:06:12trying to secure opportunities for the children of Rockaway Little League to

01:06:15play at Gateway I'd love to yes I mean we've been we might be the only Little

01:06:21League that actually is on federal land we built the fields and after so many

01:06:24years they said oh you need a lease to be there and that was quite contentious

01:06:27at the beginning and but we made the case that youth sports and National

01:06:31Recreation Area youth sports is part of your mission and if we're bringing

01:06:34children into the park that we could be educating them bringing them in and we

01:06:37were told well that's not part of our vision or our plan for the park and but

01:06:42we got our lease and and we're still there you know always always wanted they

01:06:46would like to move us out but more recently at one of the local soccer

01:06:49leagues which also plays brings hundreds of kids into the park wanted to make

01:06:53investments and upgrades but they wanted a lease and again they were told no you

01:06:57know youth sports is not part of our vision or our plan for the park and

01:07:00obviously folks in our area are shocked that youth sports doesn't belong in a

01:07:05recreation area but a migrant camp does Wow there there are no words but to your

01:07:10knowledge has the National Park Service did not so it has they've denied leases

01:07:13to sports leagues that want to use the recreation recreational area land and

01:07:17make improvements you mentioned that the soccer league is that that is correct

01:07:21the youth soccer league is doing a ladies at a time oh I appreciate well

01:07:27you got really into it so thank you very very much the gentlelady from New York

01:07:32is recognized for five minutes okay I know it's not a talk to sure

01:07:41recognized five minutes I know I haven't started you you ready I'm ready you're

01:07:53recognized for five minutes well I want to thank you all for being here today I

01:07:57very much appreciate you coming once again as particularly my colleague from

01:08:02New York Assemblywoman Williams you know we're from different parties but

01:08:06there's common sense is common sense and this is an issue of public safety for

01:08:11the people of Brooklyn of Queens of Staten Island Bronx and Manhattan and we

01:08:17as you know mr. chairman know that we have roughly 200,000 migrants in New York

01:08:23City they we don't know the exact number because the city shields this

01:08:26information from us but we do know is just last week a Venezuelan migrant

01:08:31who is a known gang member shot two NYPD officers in fact it happened in the

01:08:40district of somebody in this committee this person crossed into this country

01:08:46illegally from Texas in July and his asylum case was dismissed by a Chicago

01:08:55court he's been living at a migrant shelter in New York City in Queens it's

01:09:02completely outrageous that we have a policy in place by this administration

01:09:06allowing people who are gang members drug traffickers criminals to enter into

01:09:12our country and then on top of it you're asking the new residents of New York the

01:09:17hard-working taxpayers to pay for them to be housed in their communities living

01:09:22free they're living in the shelters some of them are luxury hotels that have

01:09:26turned into shelters some are national parks have been turned into shelter as

01:09:30is the issue that we're discussing today Floyd Bennett Field I want to highlight

01:09:36some of the concerns from the media from individuals that have spoken to the

01:09:41media about spikes and robberies that there have been arrest crimes concerns

01:09:46we know there's been panhandling shoplifting matter of fact it pulled up

01:09:52some stats for the precinct in which Floyd Bennett Field is and robbery is up

01:09:59over last year 35% car thefts are up to 51% larceny up 29 nearly 30% retail

01:10:09theft which is a concern that the assemblywoman expressed to me up 60% and

01:10:16then you have assaults that are up roughly 50% hate crimes up 500% it's

01:10:25just and I've had a hard time my first questions to the assemblywoman because

01:10:29I've had a hard time getting the actual statistics of people who have committing

01:10:33crimes that reside in the shelters we know they were well over well over

01:10:38thousands of arrests we know that much because when some of the media finally

01:10:41got to the numbers do you have any of that information or is the city stonewalling

01:10:46you as well because I put in a FOIL request to get this data when I found

01:10:50out that there were thousands of arrests already made of migrants living in our

01:10:54city and then when we saw the police officers being assaulted in Times Square

01:11:00shot in Queens multiple stabbings that have resulted in death all right that's

01:11:07what's happening in the media do you have the stats has NYPD because the city

01:11:11won't allow them to cooperate with ice to deport criminals has as the mayor's

01:11:15office allowed the NYPD to give your office that information well back in

01:11:20January we did put in submitted a FOIL requests we did get a response a week

01:11:27ago and there was no information for them to give to us but I do know for a

01:11:32fact there was a call on a strangulation that occurred at Floyd Bennett field

01:11:36there was some other issues and those type of crimes are not being made

01:11:43available to the public and not even NYPD in some cases can even enter the

01:11:49tents so you have security guards making decisions on what they deem is a

01:11:56criminal activity or you know in that way which is just madness so we all know

01:12:03that crime is taking place at these shelters because we're reading about it

01:12:07regularly in the newspapers right we're just trying to get a hold on those

01:12:11statistics and I myself have also been stonewalled unfortunately by the city I

01:12:15put up in my own FOIL requests after a letter I've sent in October was ignored

01:12:19January sent in a FOIL request said that was gonna get the information in May and

01:12:22then guess what in May they told me now August so they too are being very

01:12:27disingenuous with the public mr. mr. King you are from that area could you talk a

01:12:33little bit about the concerns of some of the residents that you live with and can

01:12:37you also maybe talk about the taxpayers concerns about having this National Park

01:12:41being taken away from them and the cost that this is coming to the city of New

01:12:45York where you're seeing services cut for the hard-working citizens well I

01:12:50think you know across not just Rockaway but all across Brooklyn and Queens

01:12:53people are upset because we have a lot of hurting citizens and now all of a

01:12:57sudden now we have services getting cut because the money has to come from

01:12:59somewhere and they're paying an exorbitant amount of money twenty eight

01:13:03point eight million or twenty seven point eight million dollars to set this

01:13:06up and you know but we definitely see that you know the negative effects in

01:13:11our community as well so and with summer coming we'll have more of the problems

01:13:16you know we said in the beginning we were afraid this would be a humanitarian

01:13:19crisis in the park that'll spill into the neighborhoods now that summer is

01:13:22coming that's going to be spilling more aggressively into Rockaway and we don't

01:13:25have it's an area where we have very little police protection we have very

01:13:28little services of any sort stores so it's a recipe for bad things to happen

01:13:32okay my time has expired I don't know if we're going to be able to do another

01:13:37round but I did have more questions well we didn't believe you know always

01:13:40submit those for the record I don't recognize myself for five minutes

01:13:44miss Morrissey just yesterday we heard alarming reports that eight suspected

01:13:49terrorist migrant terrorists with possible ties to ISIS were arrested as

01:13:52part of a sting operation in Los Angeles Philadelphia and more notably your New

01:13:57York City according to the sources in the reporting quote all eight men crossed

01:14:03through the southern border into the US and their criminal background checks

01:14:05came back clean when they crossed one even used the CBP one app which the

01:14:12Biden administration created to allow migrants to book appointments to claim

01:14:15asylum and enter our country according to sources quote part of the

01:14:19investigation featured a wiretap which revealed one of the now arrested

01:14:24individuals talking about bombs one of that sources stated request a quote

01:14:30remember the Boston Marathon I'm afraid something like that might happen again

01:14:33or worse end quote to your understanding is there a screening process or

01:14:39background check in place for the Fort Bennett Field migrant camp to ensure

01:14:44that certain migrants are not threats to the surrounding communities no sir

01:14:48there's nothing nothing that I know of no so miss Williams I know that when I

01:14:53was up there it was going to be a man camp now I understand it's families

01:14:57right correct so in some ways I would say that's a little better because you

01:15:03had all these children all these youth activities out there hockey baseball all

01:15:09those things right putting I've had man camps I'm from Wyoming and they had oil

01:15:15and gas man camps and they're not really all that fun but I think women and

01:15:19children might be a little better however tarmac gets hot and radiates

01:15:23heat doesn't it not it does very much so especially Floyd Bennett Phil Wow

01:15:29doesn't take very much of a resource to know that a child can be dehydrated

01:15:34instantaneously almost for me right especially walking from that tent to get

01:15:40the bus service off of Flatbush can be excruciating miss Morrissey given the

01:15:48arrest does your concern of this proximity the migrant camp really

01:15:54support the police or should we be more worried about what's happening for the

01:15:59police in the proximity of this camp I'm sorry could you repeat that yeah so does

01:16:06it concern you the proximity of this camp to so many in your communities and

01:16:10to your police department's response time yes it does concern me because if

01:16:15you read in the newspapers and see that our police forces are low manpower

01:16:20already and having all these additional forces all the migrants coming in it's

01:16:26going to be a huge strain on our first responders and also in regards I've

01:16:32being a retired NYPD lieutenant I also feel that you know from working actually

01:16:40at that base aviation there is also a police site there it's an emergency

01:16:46service site that our police officers come out and I also besides the concern

01:16:50of the crime and the heat from actually doing RMP training there that tarmat

01:16:57gets very very hot so I know that for a fact it is very hot on that and as for

01:17:02crime it's it we're maxed out there's not enough officers citywide never mind

01:17:08in the smaller command so it is a great concern believe in your the police may

01:17:14have some some advantages or disadvantages but it's a legal system

01:17:18that just puts them back out on the floor on the field they create a bigger

01:17:21problem for you well I know something about heat in fact my friend Andy Biggs

01:17:25and I were on a tarmac in Phoenix and I know Phoenix is a little hotter than New

01:17:29York but probably not much all of a sudden we heard this ping ping ping ping

01:17:33ping what it was was his shoes were falling apart they were shooting off the

01:17:38plastic yeah so hot they just shot off that's pretty impressive when you're

01:17:42talking about heat very heat miss Williams go ahead mr. chairman can I

01:17:46just add I mean these are such valid points and Floyd Bennett feel is four

01:17:53miles away from Kings Plaza mall that is open to the public and you know we've

01:17:59seen in the last few months especially during the holiday time so many families

01:18:04in their panhandling and making it a very uncomfortable situation playing at

01:18:10the heartstrings of families and so forth and as a parent myself it was very

01:18:14difficult to see that but as the weather get warmer as well I mean we can't even

01:18:20imagine how such a public place will be you know filled with so many individuals

01:18:26you know seeking you know probably a warmer place to to relax well the last

01:18:32question I have and what we're gonna do is go to mr. the gentleman from New York

01:18:36and then the ranking member are gonna ask you one more last question instead

01:18:40of going a second round oh I'll just wait how about that we'll just go to

01:18:46mr. Estes ito for five minutes New York well thank you mr. chairman and thank

01:18:50you to the committee for allowing me to wave on mr. Fisher I would like to

01:18:54direct my first line of questioning to you in your summary of your opening

01:19:01statement in the second paragraph it says amnesty international is a Nobel

01:19:06Prize winning global human rights organization committed to fighting for

01:19:10the human rights of all people no matter where they are or where they're from the

01:19:18third paragraph says our vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all

01:19:22of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

01:19:25and other international human rights instruments sounds very promising my

01:19:32question to you is do you think that what's happening right now in the United

01:19:38States of America under the failed policies of Joe Biden and Secretary

01:19:41Mayorkas do you believe that it is the responsibility of Americans do you

01:19:46believe that it's the responsibility of New Yorkers to foot the bill of

01:19:50individuals coming into this country illegally thank you so much for that

01:19:55question I think what we have seen is actually decades of failed policies that

01:20:01have billions of dollars I only have five minutes and the we're not going to

01:20:07talk about the years and decades of failed immigration policy what we're

01:20:11going to talk about today is the failed policies the border security failed

01:20:16policies of Joe Biden so my question is very simple it's a yes or no question do

01:20:21you believe that the American people do you believe that New Yorkers should

01:20:25foot the foot the bill for people coming into this country illegally

01:20:30seeking asylum is a right under US law so I think the question is a little bit

01:20:36flawed but what I'm suggesting is that coming into this country and seeking

01:20:42asylum is when you do it the correct and legal way when people cross our

01:20:47borders for people to seek asylum regardless of their manner of entry

01:20:51when people cross borders and they come here illegally and more importantly

01:20:56specific to what we're talking about today when they come here and commit

01:21:00crimes they commit crimes they are released because well that's not the

01:21:05failed policies of Joe Biden it's the failed policies of governor hopeful in

01:21:07New York State they commit crimes and they are released to commit more crimes

01:21:12what we're talking about today is Floyd Bennett field have you ever visited

01:21:16Floyd Bennett field no sir I have not well I will tell you that in your

01:21:21opening statement that you submitted your vision is of a world in which every

01:21:26person enjoys all the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration I

01:21:31will tell you that having worked as an NYPD detective for over 16 years and

01:21:38visited Floyd Bennett field many times as someone who has spent his entire life

01:21:43living in New York City and traveled in and out of JFK Airport routinely I will

01:21:48tell you two things first Floyd Bennett field and JFK Airport neither one of

01:21:54them is a world in which you enjoy human rights people living in an empty

01:21:59warehouse at JFK Airport that's not the human rights that they risk their life

01:22:04to come here for I wholeheartedly agree with living in for at Floyd Bennett

01:22:08field which is in the close proximity to not only military operations but

01:22:14special operations of the New York City Police Department not only is that not

01:22:18where they should be living but it's also not safe I agree with that and

01:22:23that's the what is just mind-boggling is that we continue to allow people into

01:22:29this country illegally and then we the United States of America and the people

01:22:33who pay taxes have to foot the bill for them to come here to not only live and

01:22:38eat and have cell phones and I mean we've heard stories of people coming

01:22:42across the southern border the moment that they cross over and they do like

01:22:46their touch base with asylum they are on their phone getting an uber to wherever

01:22:51that they want to go literally there there's been ubers that that sit on the

01:22:57southern border waiting to take people places my next line of questioning I

01:23:00only have a minute left is to miss Morrissey first of all thank you for

01:23:03your service to the NYPD we're both retired obviously no we know what it

01:23:08takes to keep people safe and protect our communities these are disastrous

01:23:14policies and as the summer approaches where we see crime skyrocket right

01:23:17because that's what happens when it gets nicer out there's more crimes that are

01:23:21committed do you believe that the migrants committing crimes now

01:23:24surrounding Floyd Bennett field will contribute to the summer crime season

01:23:28absolutely because the heat and living in close proximity to each other

01:23:33in a very hot tent is going to cause violence with themselves and their

01:23:39surrounding neighborhoods including everyone and I would assume you're here

01:23:42so probably you and mr. King and miss Williams and others have expressed these

01:23:46concerns correct yes I really do hope they're heard because the American

01:23:52people are paying the price for the Biden border crisis and it's a shame

01:23:55with that my times expired mr. chairman I yield back I think the gentleman from

01:23:58New York the gentlewoman for me New Mexico is recognized for her five minutes

01:24:02we're asked one round she has one question all right well thank you mr.

01:24:06chairman these House Natural Resources Committee hearings are always an

01:24:10interesting fever dream and I welcome my colleagues from New York to the House

01:24:15Natural Resources Committee this is not a City Council meeting for New York City

01:24:19this is not a State Assembly hearing in the New York State Assembly and this is

01:24:25also not a committee that has jurisdiction over immigration or

01:24:29international affairs we're here because we have stewardship over our lands

01:24:34waters and wildlife and there's been a lot of strange misinformation provided

01:24:40here today but one thing that I do think is helpful for the public to know is

01:24:45that part of the role and responsibility of members of Congress is to serve their

01:24:49communities to do casework and we had three members of New York's delegation

01:24:55here today please follow up with your members of Congress they can help

01:24:59facilitate conversations with our federal agencies that's our job that's

01:25:02actually why we're here so we don't need to have fake hearings that are about

01:25:08political issues it's really about just facilitating those kind of

01:25:13conversations I do want to correct the record on a few things and then I'll

01:25:17turn it over for a quick question first of all there was a comment made about

01:25:21veterans we've had the largest expansion of veterans benefits ever in American

01:25:26history in the last the last Congress with the passing of the PACT Act and the

01:25:31eligibility of three million more veterans to qualify for that there's

01:25:36been a lot of misinformation about how immigration and asylum works most of the

01:25:41people who are currently being housed in various places by the places where

01:25:46they're being received are actually have already been screened at the border in

01:25:50fact that is our policy and they have been screened to be safe of course

01:25:55there's always violence that occurs in our communities but they also are

01:26:01awaiting asylum hearings in the asylum system and if our friends across the

01:26:06aisle would like to fix the immigration system fund our programs and pass

01:26:12bipartisan immigration reform and work on these issues don't hold political

01:26:16hearings but actually get to work on the issues that the American people care

01:26:21about and that are impacting so clearly our communities but assemblywoman I

01:26:25really appreciated some of the comments you made earlier about humane solutions

01:26:30and about collaboration and I understand very much like the challenge of working

01:26:37with the federal bureaucracy all of our communities struggle with it and

01:26:41certainly we're committed to helping support workout and workout issues so

01:26:46that there is better coordination but we don't have jurisdiction over the state

01:26:51or the city here and so but because we are here talking about immigration

01:26:58about what to do with the populations who are here in our communities I want

01:27:05to start with Miss Fisher and then I'd love to ask Miss Williams as well you

01:27:09know what what do you see as being some of the ways in which we can fix the

01:27:14existing systems to help get people through the asylum system faster to more

01:27:20humanely house people to make sure that families are safe in the spaces where

01:27:26they are living in the interim and to make sure that our communities have a

01:27:31say in the process so I'll start with Miss Fisher and then turn to Miss

01:27:34Williams thank you so much for that question and I think the answer actually

01:27:38here starts with federal coordination it's really not feasible for just one or

01:27:43two cities to like New York and Chicago to receive such high numbers of new

01:27:48arrivals with federal coordination we can ensure that new arrivals that do not

01:27:53already have ties to the United States have the opportunity to go places that

01:27:57are facing labor shortages population decline and can benefit from a boost of

01:28:03new workers people also need the ability to work asylum seekers are only able to

01:28:09receive work permits once their asylum applications have been pending for six

01:28:13months that needs to be sped up if we take the example of Carla who I spoke

01:28:18about in my opening statement it took her months of doing you know the hair

01:28:23and nails of people in her shelter to save up the thousands of dollars she

01:28:28needed to pay for an immigration attorney to then file for asylum and

01:28:33then start the clock to wait the six months for her work permit which

01:28:37obviously delayed their ability to move out of shelters and into independence

01:28:42and again what we need is a system that provides people the ability to come here

01:28:49safely in a dignified manner and support services to help them navigate their

01:28:55cases in immigration court these solutions have not only to proven to be

01:29:01more effective at helping people comply with their immigration requirements they

01:29:06also will save taxpayers dollars and bolster local economies again the

01:29:15question gives me assembly Williams excuse me again the question is really

01:29:21for individuals that are already here and that do need housing how can there

01:29:26be better collaboration and support for the communities that are hosting these

01:29:32folks and helping to make sure that they're safe and humane environments for

01:29:36folks to you know start their next chapter thank you there definitely has

01:29:41to be a dialogue with all the electeds at the table you know that's a start in

01:29:47the right direction for a better solution number one which that

01:29:50opportunity was not given to us nine months ago so moving forward and the

01:29:56best thing we can do for those families that Floyd Bennett feel is not to renew

01:30:00the lease and you know try to do something better whether it's open up

01:30:04the rest of the state have them vetted much quicker because we know for sure

01:30:09that not everyone who is seeking asylum is going to be granted that status and I

01:30:16just want to piggyback a little bit when we talk about vetting process and it's

01:30:20done at the border well I really wondered what happened with the eight

01:30:24individuals that was a rat that was arrested you know then they go through

01:30:28that vetting process too because for us and in South Brooklyn we do have a king

01:30:35of shopping mall that thousands and thousands of people visit every day and

01:30:41God forbid something you know crazy had happened how that could have been a

01:30:46place off you know of an attack or something so we have to do better but

01:30:52everyone has to be at the table it can be a one-way conversation and then the

01:30:58local electives is left in the dark to to answer to their constituents because

01:31:04most times the local electives have more interaction with the their local

01:31:09constituency thank you thank you madam assemblywoman and it's unfortunate that

01:31:15your members of Congress left before they could hear that so thank you mr.

01:31:19chairman you're certainly welcome first of all I want to address the

01:31:22jurisdictional issue this is the Oversight Committee of Natural

01:31:25Resources that means everything is on the table whether it be national parks

01:31:29whether it be public lands whether it be minerals and oil and gas it all is part

01:31:35of our jurisdiction so now carefully I'm going to ask you each what was the

01:31:42question you were prepared to hear didn't hear and what's the answer to

01:31:46that question we'll start with you miss Williams what was the question you were

01:31:51prepared to ask or to answer it wasn't asked and what is its answer so many

01:31:58questions was asked but one of the things we spoke about it's the summer

01:32:03months coming up and that's going to be very very excruciating with the heat and

01:32:07how those tents are going to be cooled down they are going to be run by

01:32:14generators that use diesel and that's going to be running 24 hours a day

01:32:21for the entire summertime we're talking about the pollution air pollution we're

01:32:31talking about so many different things when does you think about the climate

01:32:35aspect quality of air and so forth it is just not good for the families because

01:32:41we've seen you know families children playing soccer outside of the tents and

01:32:47those generators going you know 24 hours a day letting out those fumes how is

01:32:54that impacting the families or the children that is you know playing soccer

01:32:59or using their scooter you know right outside the premise of the tent thank

01:33:04you your next in addition to being a civic leader I'm a businessman in

01:33:14Rockwave been a partner for 30 years so question about the economic impact on

01:33:19our businesses and on on the workforce we've spoken a bit about the shoplifting

01:33:24I mean there's also situations really throughout Queens where migrants are

01:33:29taking the stuff they've gotten for free and they're selling it on the street in

01:33:31front of stores and our retail operations are already struggling they

01:33:34don't need the competition or have the front of their stores being difficult

01:33:38for customers to get to so it's been bad for business but it's also it's been

01:33:43worse for working-class and poor New Yorkers you guys know New York is a very

01:33:47expensive place to live it's painfully worse with all the inflation we've had

01:33:51the last few years so if you're working not even paycheck to paycheck you're

01:33:55you're doing odd jobs putting cash in your pocket all of a sudden we have an

01:33:58influx of hundreds of thousands of people you know a labor glut drives down

01:34:03prices when we need our workers to be able to get better prices so you have

01:34:07people who are struggling to get by who either can't make money at all or they

01:34:12have to fight to accept less money because you know a migrant who's living

01:34:17in Floyd Bennett Field doesn't have the overhead that you know that American

01:34:21citizen has and so it's been it's been bad for people on the business side both

01:34:26the businesses themselves and our working-class Americans. Thank you Mr. Keeney, Ms. Fisher?

01:34:32I'll add to that a little bit I think what what I would want to sort of lift

01:34:39up is that you know the newly new arrivals can be a real boon to local

01:34:46economies there are economists that have estimated that for every thousand newly

01:34:52arrived workers initial state and local tax revenues are expected to increase by

01:34:562.5 million economists also estimate that a 10% reduction in asylum seekers

01:35:02in a single year would be an 8.9 billion dollar loss to the US economy in an over

01:35:091.5 billion in lost tax revenues in five years so I think this idea that you know

01:35:16the new arrivals are a drain on the local economy is actually misaligned

01:35:21with what I think mountains of economic evidence as is able to show. Thank you.

01:35:29Ms. Morrissey? I feel the quality of life our quality life and most important for

01:35:35something that we're overlooking right now is our own children. Kids are passing

01:35:39the immigrant the migrant children selling in the middle of the summer on a

01:35:45median in the heat with their parents when they're coming from school

01:35:49explaining mentally for the children of the neighborhood what is going on while

01:35:55they're going to the beach they're seeing children standing there and I

01:35:59feel it it's hard for them as parents to explain this to children the begging and

01:36:05seeing them when they're going to avoid people in the stores and everything like

01:36:09that being rushed and the parents fear and feeling the parents of their feeling

01:36:15the fear their parents are having so I feel the mental and the quality of life

01:36:19is extremely crucial and right now it's affecting everyone from the elderly

01:36:26being fearful to go in the parking lots to the parents rushing their children

01:36:31along quickly to avoid any kind of conflict that and some don't even

01:36:36understand what's going on we're taught different we're taught to help but we

01:36:40can't help it's over running the neighborhood and it's crucial that

01:36:45something be done it's cruel what's being done leaving children families on

01:36:50tarmac in the heat it's just it's not what the line between right and wrong is

01:36:55very gray right now and it's very hard to explain it's more see I love your

01:37:01comment at the very end there there isn't a broken system it's we're not

01:37:05enforcing the law if there's things that have to be changed once the law is

01:37:09enforced then you can change them but we you can't just change the goalposts so

01:37:14from that standpoint I want to thank all of our witnesses for coming so far and

01:37:18for your expert testimony there'll be maybe more questions we'll have some

01:37:24additional questions for the witnesses and we'll ask you to respond to those in

01:37:27writing under committee rule three members of the committee must submit

01:37:30questions to the subcommittee clerk by 5 p.m. on Tuesday June 18th the hearing

01:37:35record will be open up for 10 days for the days for their responses for your

01:37:39responses if there's no further business

Paul Gosar Chairs House Natural Resources Committee Hearing On ‘Biden’s Border Crisis’

Category

Transcript

Recommended