Arnaldo Salinas, senior director of the Guardian Angels, led a rally and patrol presence on the new Bruckner Blvd. migrant shelter website on Feb. 28, 2025.
Photograph Emily Swanson
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The Guardian Angels have begun patrolling outdoors the newly-opened South Bronx migrant shelter sporting their signature purple jackets and berets, in an effort they hope will deter crime and ease residents’ fears over public security. The nonprofit group, based by present Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa, has labored the streets of NYC since 1979.
Working alongside volunteer residents and clergy, the Guardian Angels held a rally Friday, saying plans to patrol East 141st Avenue and Bruckner Avenue 5 days per week on rotating shifts.
The two,200-bed shelter, which has confronted fierce group opposition, opened on Feb. 22 and now seems to be processing many extra residents for move-in. Because the Guardian Angels and others rallied outdoors, a gentle stream of males arrived with luggage and suitcases and lined up outdoors to be checked in.
Males arrive on the shelter on Feb. 28, 2025.Photograph Emily Swanson
Pastor Boyde Singletary, who was a part of the rally and had organized earlier rallies towards the shelter, instructed the Bronx Occasions that he has already seen individuals he assumed to be migrants smoking and capturing up medication on the road close by. “At any moment, they could snap,” he stated.
Singletary stated he and fellow volunteers plan to obtain coaching on self-defense and battle de-escalation. Whereas he doesn’t count on to confront many violent conditions, they need to be ready simply in case, he stated. “If we don’t defend ladies and kids, who will?
The Guardian Angels has acquired quite a few calls from involved residents asking for his or her presence, Senior Director Arnaldo Salinas instructed the Bronx Occasions.
Salinas stated he grew up 5 blocks from the shelter website and remembers the Nineteen Sixties and 70s when the South Bronx was overrun with crime and violence. With the shelter, “It looks like we’re reverting back to the old days,” he stated.
Town stated it has applied safety measures on the shelter, together with metallic detectors, ID checks, a curfew and safety guards, and likewise stated it might present residents a technique to contact shelter administration with any issues or issues. The Bronx Occasions contacted Metropolis Corridor to ask whether or not such contact info exists and has not but acquired a reply.
Chatting with the small group of rally attendees, Salinas referred to as for extra group members to return ahead. “Unless we, the citizenry of New York, stand up to what’s going on here, it’s going to continue,” he stated. He referred to as on residents to “stop Monday-morning quarterbacking” and are available out in numbers to make their opposition heard.
“People need to wake up,” stated Salinas.
Transferring with warning
Because the shelter fills, individuals who reside and work close by stated they’re going about their lives with elevated warning.
An worker of a close-by enterprise stated that his small group of 5 is frightened about car thefts and break-ins and that nobody walks to the practice alone anymore.
He has seen NYPD officers outdoors the shelter, which “does make us feel safe,” however needs there have been extra. “Four on 2,200 is not the best odds.”
A Riverdale resident who requested to not have her title revealed stated she attends an artwork college throughout the road and is there full-time most days. She stated that as a white lady, she worries about being focused whereas strolling to the practice.
She plans to donate cash to the Guardian Angels, she stated. “This is a travesty.”
Tyreek Goodman, who’s working for Metropolis Council District 8, took the mic to immediately handle the group of migrants ready outdoors. “You are not our enemy. We are not your enemy,” he instructed them. “We’re not here to target y’all.”
Nonetheless, Goodman stated he was dissatisfied on the lack of continued engagement from elected officers in opposing the shelter. “We don’t have time for political games. This is real life.”
On this rally and people prior, Singletary and different residents expressed frustration on the lack of communication from the town earlier than opening the shelter and now. He and others have many questions on safety on the website and the way a lot cash is flowing to it, and from the place. “We will patrol every week until we get an answer,” he stated.
