New York City's 1st migrant relief center opens Wednesday on Randall's Island
NEW YORK -- The migrant relief center is open on Randall's Island.
The tents are finally ready for asylum seekers, just about two weeks after construction began.
The goal is to help ease the migrant crisis in the city.
So far, more than 20,000 asylum seekers have arrived to the Big Apple. That's about the population of Garden City, Long Island. Now, they're getting job offers.
As CBS2's Dave Carlin reports, all adult men who arrive at Randall's Island will be staying in living conditions no one would call ideal, jammed into the massive tent space with cots lined up head to toe, row after row. But city leaders insist it's humane, because the estimated stays will be short.
The goal is for the asylum seekers to move in and quickly out again, with a 96-hour turnaround.
Setting up the 84,000 square foot facility after a previous site at Orchard Beach was rejected cost the city about $325,000. The mayor's disaster declaration over the influx includes a $1 billion total cost estimate.
"They came here to find jobs and opportunities," said Fernando Mateo of the United Bodegas of America.
Mateo announced a program to connect employers to the new residents, with job training and help with placement.
"They'll be paying taxes. Paying taxes, they'll be contributing, and that's what we need," Mateo said.
All migrants must fill out an application, but there is another hitch. Accepting a job without a work permit is illegal, according to the mayor's office. Top city leaders are putting pressure on the federal government to fast track the permits, which some predict takes months. It's an issue Mayor Eric Adams talked about at length last month on "The Point with Marcia Kramer."
"Look at what we are doing on the federal level. We're saying, 'You could come here, but you are not allowed to work.' That is unbelievable," Adams said. "It's a combination of the Department of Homeland Security and the Congress. It's a combination of both coming together to make that determination."
Watch Dave Carlin's report
Wednesday night, there were just about three migrants at the facility, all men from Venezuela, but the city says that number could grow by 500 or more.
Twenty-nine-year-old Miguel Alejandro Torres told CBS2's Tim McNicholas he came to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream. He says he wants to find a job and a place of his own to rent.
"I feel good," Torres said in Spanish. "Excellent for the welcome they gave me here. Very excellent."
He says he first arrived in the U.S. in Texas, where his cousin is working, but he couldn't stay with him.
Once Torres arrived at Randall's Island, the staff offered him medical care. He also discovered a laundry room, a place to relax with TVs and games, and a cafeteria.
"They've given me food. They've given me personal hygiene products, a bed," Torres said. "I feel very good about what they've given me."
It's not clear who sent Torres here, but he says New York City is a preferred destination for him.
"It was comforting to make it here," Torres said. "To finish the journey. I went through the jungle, I crossed all the countries of Central America and all of that until I got here."
He went on to say he'd like to bring his mom and siblings here "if God permits it."
Critics of the Randall's Island facility say, just like Orchard Beach, it is in a flood-prone place, but less so.
"It's in isolation in a flood zone in the middle of nowhere," said Ariadna Phillips, who works with a community group called South Bronx Mutual Aid. "We can look at city, state and federal funds to make sure that whether it's HUD funding, whether it's state funding, whether we're increasing, for example, Section 8 voucher programs, whether we're increasing emergency rental assistance, there are other ways to do this."
There is also a possibility that the cap on the number of men at the facility will grow to 1,000 from 500 in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the city says it's working to ensure the educational needs of migrant children are being met.
Tuesday, the Department of Education announced new resources for city schools, as teachers and staff take on an influx of asylum-seeking students. More than 5,000 migrant children have entered the school system so far this year.
"We are expanding to put more transitional bilingual programs at schools that are seeing an influx of new students, and we're quickly more funding to allow schools to staff up," said Chancellor David Banks.
The city is also launching borough response teams. The goal is for local borough leaders, teachers and volunteers to organize food and clothing drives, resource fairs and focus groups.
CBS2 has learned the city will give an update on the number of migrants at the relief center Thursday.