Migrants who have made their way to New York City are now leaving at their own discretion due to the living conditions of the city full of crime, drugs, and homelessness. According to the New York Post, the migrants are headed to Canada where some say they will feel safer and have better opportunities. The National Guard has been helping to distribute free tickets, funded by New York taxpayers, to the migrants at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan who will travel upstate making their way to Canada.
One shuttle company said passengers are stopping in Plattsburgh “like clockwork” from the New York City buses. Tyler Tambini, who is a driver for a shuttle company, said there are about 100 people each day who get dropped off from the bus as they make their way north.
Peruvian native Susy Sanchez Solzarno crossed into Canada with her family after one of her daughters saw a video of migrants crossing over on TikTok. Solzarno came to the United States from Mexico in December. After spending time in a Marriott Hotel in Queens that was being used as an emergency shelter, she worked selling candy in a subway so that her family could leave.
Solzarno was concerned with the risk of living in New York. She said, “I wanted to live in New York because I thought it would be a better future for my daughters…But as the days went by, I saw insecurity, many homeless people, many people who shout and are disrespectful, and many people on drugs.” She is going to Canada “for the safety” of her girls.
One migrant shared that he was headed to Canada for work, noting how difficult it is to get working papers quickly in New York. According to the New York Post, “word has spread among the migrant community that Canada — where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has touted the country’s ‘proud and longstanding tradition of welcoming people seeking safety’ — is the place to go.”