‘I try to put on a brave face’: Hardship and resentment amid the US migrant debate

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00:00This is the Manhattan hotel that's been dubbed a modern-day Ellis Island.

00:05A temporary shelter for many of the 200,000 migrants that have come to New York over the past two years,

00:12including Emily and her children.

00:17It was really difficult being alone here with my kids.

00:21I ended up in hospital many times, but now I have my papers.

00:27Emily was a civil engineer in Venezuela, but violence and instability forced her to flee.

00:33Emily's husband has gone ahead to Ohio to look for work, in the hope that his family will soon join him.

00:40Many other migrants are looking to head elsewhere due to the high cost of living here.

00:45Not Frances. She wants to stay in New York, but her papers have not come through yet.

00:51In the absence of a work permit, she sells empanadas on the street.

00:55If they catch me, they throw out my produce or they can fine me $1,000.

00:59Frances is also from Venezuela.

01:01She came here with her four children after her husband was murdered by kidnappers.

01:06We walk through the forest, through Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua.

01:14Then we made it here.

01:16I try to put on a brave face.

01:20I don't like to cry.

01:27New York City Mayor Eric Adams has predicted that the migrants will cost the city $2 billion.

01:33Eric Adams has predicted that the migrants will cost the city $10 billion over a three-year period.

01:39This has stoked resentment from some.

01:43This postal office worker takes out his ire on an anti-Trump protester.

01:54At an event for homeless and migrant families in Brooklyn, a local Democrat speaks up for the new arrivals.

02:02When you see the types of jobs that a lot of the migrants have to take,

02:05they're not the types of jobs that a lot of people would even want to take.

02:09And the economy is booming because these people are coming over here because they want to work.

02:13We're tired of the hate-mongering and we're tired of the divisiveness.

02:22The Democrats are banking in part on positive messaging

02:25and debunking disinformation about migrants to help them secure more votes in this presidential election.

02:32For more UN videos visit www.un.org

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