BUFFALO, N.Y. — As Western New York politicians continue to point fingers over the series of sexual assaults tied to the arrival of migrants in Erie County, concern is growing among those working with asylum seekers every day, who believe the situation could impact the region’s migrant community for years to come.
Dr. Myron Glick is the founder and CEO of Jericho Road Community Health Center, the leading authority in caring for asylum seekers in Western New York, seeing more than 50,000 refugee visits last year alone. The organizations also worked with all of the migrants that arrived from New York City over the last few months.
He said he wants people to understand that what has taken place over the past two weeks isn’t representative of the impact migrants can have on the region.
“They're paying taxes, they're getting jobs, they're becoming an important part of the fabric of this community,” he said. “Whatever we invest at the beginning to help them, we get it back manyfold.”
Glick also dispelled the narrative around why the majority of migrants are coming to the United States.
“There's no way that people leave their country, what they're comfortable with, unless they really have no other option,” he said. “What they really are are folks that are looking for a safe place to call home for themselves and their children.”
As the situation continues to escalate, Glick fears that these recent incidents will now be associated with all migrants in Western New York moving forward.
“It's so unfortunate,” he said. “That's heartbreaking. It's heartbreaking what happened to that young woman. It's heartbreaking that this will be used to spread hate.… We as a community are not defined by our worst moments. Neither should this group be defined by the actions of one or two people.”
Jericho Road is also a subcontractor of DocGo, the organization responsible for placing these migrants once they arrive in the state. Jericho Road’s founder said he would not comment on the organization’s relationship with DocGo Monday, but previously provided us with this statement:
“Jericho Road is committed to working with Doc Go, The City of New York, The State of New York, and our local partners here in Buffalo to do what we can to welcome these newcomers to Buffalo and help them find a home here in Buffalo that is safe for them and their family. It is a big challenge. But Buffalo is up to this task.”