The city of New York is relocated 1,900 migrants from housing at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn with a winter storm set to bring high winds, heavy rain, and potential flooding to the area on Tuesday.
The migrants are being evacuated to a nearby high school Tuesday afternoon.
"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. "To be clear, this relocation is a proactive measure being taken out of an abundance of caution to ensure the safety and well-being of individuals working and living at the center."
The city said about 500 families will be bused to the James Madison High School, about 20 minutes away, and be housed in the auditorium.
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New York's emergency management commissioner said the tent panels at the field are rated for extreme weather.
"We're doing this out of an abundance of caution," said OEM Commissioner Zachary Iscol.
The city is also housing migrants in tents on Randall's Island and Creedmoor. The migrants housed in those locations will not have to leave because those tents are staked into the ground, while the tents in Brooklyn are not staked.
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"It's a historic runway. That's where we couldn't do it. So we had to use ballasts," Iscol said.
Iscol added buses will be at Floyd Bennett Field throughout the night in case people return from work and need to be moved to the school.
