NYC Shuts Down Illegal Migrant Housing in Furniture Store and Basement

Over 80 migrants, mostly from Senegal, were found living in hazardous conditions in a Queens furniture store and a basement, prompting city officials to take action.

City officials discovered more than 40 migrants living in a furniture store and over 80 in a basement below a vegan restaurant in Queens, New York.
The migrants, mostly from Senegal, were found living in overcrowded and unsafe conditions, with some sleeping in shifts due to limited space.
The Department of Buildings issued violations for illegal conversion of commercial spaces into living quarters without permits.
Owner Ebou Sarr, originally from Senegal, charged migrants $300 per month for a bed and meals, claiming to help his fellow countrymen.
City agencies, including the FDNY and the Department of Buildings, have intervened, relocating many of the migrants to shelters.