WORLD WORLDWIDE USA New York NY New York City NYC the city THE CITY News Journal Update - THE CITY SCOOP: Long Lines and Confusion for Migrants at Federal Plaza

 

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If you know anyone who might like this newsletter, send it to them. If this was sent to you by someone else, subscribe here — it's free!  Dear New Yorkers, Hundreds of people lined up on the sidewalk along 26 Federal Plaza before dawn on Monday. They braved the rain, waiting for the doors to open at 7 a.m.  Some had started assembling as early as Sunday night. The people waiting in line had appointments either with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or for immigration court, which are both located in the building. As more and more migrants arrive in New York City, the scenes outside 26 Federal Plaza have become increasingly chaotic. Those in line say that it’s not always clear what they should be doing, with some entering the ICE check-in line when they ought to be in the immigration court line or vice-versa.  Just 600 people a day can be served by ICE at 26 Federal Plaza, leaving even people who have appointments and looming asylum deadlines locked out. Failure to show up for an immigration court hearing could result in someone being denied asylum.  Read more here. In other news: Back to the Office The post-Labor Day return to the workplace is real. Office occupancy in the New York area jumped by 7.5 percentage points last week, according to the Kastle Back to Work Barometer, nearly matching the post-pandemic record of 50.5% set in June. The increase in New York was typical for the country, with increases in all 10 cities covered by the tracker. Kastle — which provides card swipe systems for private office buildings — noted that in the last few years office occupancy continued to increase during September and into October. The jump comes as many employers impose tighter rules about remote and hybrid work. In another sign of increased activity, subway ridership last Tuesday and Thursday exceeded 4 million, a figure reached on only seven previous days. Nevertheless, ridership was only 69% of its pre-pandemic level.  — Greg David Some other items of note: The Department of Sanitation is disposing of less trash now compared to the past four years, while composting is rising and recycling citywide is down. That’s a main takeaway from the latest Mayor’s Management Report, which offers — among other things — a snapshot about what New Yorkers toss. One factor that could explain the decrease in trash is the increased rate of composting, which makes up about a third of the waste steam. The total tons of organics diverted more than doubled between Fiscal Year 2020 and 2023 thanks to the proliferation of Smart Bins for organics throughout the boroughs, as well as expanded citywide curbside organics pickup. Earlier this month, the New York State Department of Health ceased reporting overall COVID-19 case numbers. As a result, we’re no longer able to include updates in our Coronavirus in New York City tracker. We’ve kept past numbers for the historical record. According to health experts consulted by THE CITY, hospitalization rates, ICU capacity and vaccination rates remain the best indicators of the current state of the pandemic — all of which are updated regularly on our tracker. Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Wednesday's Weather Rating: 10/10. AGAIN! High temperatures in the mid 70s, low dew points, gorgeous sunshine and a great breeze. That's all there is to it. The vibes are immaculate out there once again today! Things To Do Here’s what’s going on around the city this week. Wednesday, Sept. 20: Climate Week NYC, which runs through Sunday, Sept. 24 with rallies, talks, workshops and more. Registration required for some events. Free. Thursday, Sept. 21: Opening reception for Cevallos Brothers, the first exhibition dedicated to a pair of legendary Queens signmakers. Yeh Art Gallery, St. John’s University. 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free. Friday, Sept. 22: Bushwick Open Studios, a three-day event spotlighting art in many mediums at galleries, bars, studios, street corners, parks and more. 12 to 11 p.m. through Sunday, Sept. 24. Free.   THE KICKER: One Brooklyn middle school had objected to illegal parking on the sidewalk outside of its building for perhaps as long as 40 years, but nothing was being done. One problem? The culprits included cops. But last week, the sidewalks were clear for the first time in recent memory. Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Wednesday. Love, THE CITY P.S. Love THE CITY? Our nonprofit newsroom runs on support from readers like you. Donate here.

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