Thousands of migrants will be evacuated from Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn to ride out a potential rainstorm on Tuesday night, officials said.

Approximately 2.000 migrants will be moved from Floyd Bennett Field in Flatbush to James Madison High School at around 4:30 p.m., according to the Office of Emergency Management. Roughly 40 Department of Education buses will used in the evacuation, according to the OEM.

The asylum seekers will spend the night in the school’s gymnasium before returning to Floyd Bennett Field on Wednesday morning, officials said. The field began housing about 2,000 migrants last year.

Officials said the move comes over concerns of high winds and flooding that are expected to hit the area.

“The health and safety of migrants in our care is always a top priority, which is why we are currently overseeing the relocation of 1,900 guests from the humanitarian emergency response and relief center at Floyd Bennett Field due to an updated forecast with increased wind speeds estimated to be at over 70 MPH tonight,” a City Hall spokesperson said in a statement.

A strong storm system will move through the area later today, bringing heavy rain and damaging winds to portions of the tri-state area.

LETTER FROM NYC COUNCILWOMAN INNA VERNIKOV

Dear Constituents,

I have been informed that due to the incoming storm affecting New York City, around 2,000 migrants from Floyd Bennett field will be transported to James Madison High School this evening and will be occupying its gymnasiums and auditorium overnight.

This is both unacceptable and was entirely foreseeable, as Floyd Bennett Field is vulnerable to all forms of inclement weather conditions and is not a sustainable housing facility. This emergency move was accurately predicted by critics of the Floyd Bennett field as a location to be used as a migrant shelter.

Our public schools are meant to be places of learning and growth for our children, and were never intended to be shelters or facilities for emergency housing.

There are approximately 4,000 students who attend Madison High School. Their parents are rightfully concerned. Our constituents who live in the vicinity are concerned for their safety and well-being. This will agitate local residents, disrupt the entire school environment, and place a tremendous burden on our families, students, school administrators and staff.

As an elected official representing this community, I demand a full stop to using our public schools as a shelter ever again. I urge my colleagues in government to join me in this effort.

We will continue to monitor this situation, and hold those responsible for this move accountable.

In addition to myself, your councilmember, here is a list of elected officials representing this area who I am urging to join me in this effort:

Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (718) 287–1142
State Senator Simcha Felder (718) 253-2015
Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein (718) 648- 4700

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