Hundreds of new immigrants lined up at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx over the weekend in an attempt to get healthcare, food and other necessities, according to a new report.
The migrants were at the hospital due to an event organized by the city‘s hospital system which they called a “resource and family fun day” for migrants, according to The New York Post.
The publication reported that at least part of the migrant population looking to avail themselves of the city’s social programs were part of those bused into the nation’s largest city by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R).
One such migrant was Venezuelan refugee Adrian Medina, 32, who said through a translator, “I came to New York about three days ago. I am a welder, and I am looking for work here.”
Medina left Texas on a bus five days before, after making a trip from his home country, including six days of walking through the jungle.
The Venezuelan national is now living at the Bellevue Men’s Shelter and was waiting for some of the social programs available to those in attendance.
Another Venezuelan at the event who also came to the United States was Luis Quintana, 48, who said that he came to “get an ID and health insurance.” He arrived in New York City from Texas on Friday.
“I’m feeling well now, but I wasn’t. I was uncomfortable on the bus. The bathroom on the bus was closed for several hours,” Quintana said, adding, “I came to New York to get away from the delinquency in Venezuela, cops in the streets, armed people. I want to work and progress.”
Another mother and father from Venezuela came to the event to find legal assistance to stay in the United States.
“We came here today looking for help from a lawyer for political asylum,” mother Sandy Gonzalez, 36, told the Post. “We came to get help with immigration.”
MetroPlusHealth, which is a Medicaid provider and co-sponsor of the events, said that they were expecting around 1,200 migrants at their event, a number of whom were thought likely to be part of the Texas governor’s migrant busing program.