UNITED STATES-IMMIGRATION-Haitian-American legislator wants equitable aid for Caribbean migrants.

Haitian-American chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, Assembly woman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, is calling for equitable aid for Caribbean and other migrants in the US.

Her call comes following what she says is extensive feedback from approximately 1.4 million Democrats whose communities are affected across the borough by the influx of Caribbean and other migrants.

Many of the migrants crossing the southern border of the United States and arriving in New York are nationals of Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela and Guatemala.

Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, Chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party

'The Brooklyn Democratic Party is consistently communicating with leaders at all levels of government for updates and to relay our constituents' feedback, including exploring the possibility of equitably spreading out access to migrant housing across Brooklyn from Fort Hamilton to Brooklyn Heights and beyond,' Bichotte Hermelyn, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) on Saturday.

'It is clear that vast existing inequities of shelter placements serving unhoused New Yorkers are being exacerbated by new emergency shelters opening up in our communities that are all too familiar with disproportionately shouldering the responsibility of helping those in need,' she added. 'Neighborhoods without migrant shelters are being called to open their communities to 'spread the love' by Brooklyn Democrats.

'We acknowledge this vital feedback from Brooklynites who are recommending having migrant shelters in communities from Fort Hamilton Army Base, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Heights, Marine Park, and Manhattan Beach,' she continued. 'The Brooklyn Democratic Party is utilizing our members' feedback by not only recommending using these neighborhoods in Brooklyn, but also similarly expanding to underutilized areas across NYC (New York City), the entire State of New York, and other municipalities across the US.

'While everyone deserves fair, equitable, and humane housing, this is a national, unprecedented crisis; requiring federal aid and collaboration at all levels,' said Bichotte Hermelyn, stating that she has been ardently advocating for US federal aid with city-wide elected officials, while defending Mayor Eric Adams' approach to the crisis - including holding press conferences and writing to the Biden administration for help.

Bichotte Hermelyn said elected officials pushed back on critiques...