RANDALLS ISLAND, New York (WABC) — The New York Police Department broke up the encampment on Randall’s Island after conducting sweeps on Wednesday and seizing unregistered cars, motorcycles and mopeds.
The roundup was described as standard, but was consistent with the Adams administration’s intolerance of camping outside shelters, just as it would not tolerate camping in urban areas.
NYPD Sergeant John Chell said police were searching for unregistered cars, stolen mopeds and motorcycles. NYPD officials described these as routine raids to enforce laws everyone must follow, including seizing vehicles that may have been used in crimes.
“We don’t care who you are, who you are, where you go, where you live, we’re here to fight crime,” Chell said.
The action came a day after city officials explained the encampments that have been set up near migrant shelters.
Some migrants say they have nowhere else to go after reaching the 30-day limit for staying in shelters.
The encampment, broken up by police and park rangers, was growing outside the shelter doors.
On a summer day, people could be seen living, working, and even getting their hair cut, along with the trash and other debris often found at large gatherings, just a few steps from a footbridge that connects to the rest of the city.
More than 200,000 immigrants have come to the city in the past two years, and police say their goal is not to single out anyone based on their immigration status, but rather to crack down on crime.
Mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly stressed that immigrants must be able to work and have the proper work permits to earn a living legally.
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