Res 1183-2019

Council Member Eugene and the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams) Whereas, On September 1, 2019, Hurricane Dorian made landfall as a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane on the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, when it moved to strike and stall over Grand Bahama Island as a Category 5 hurricane for over 40 hours, before changing course to track north alongside the Eastern coast of the United States on September 3, 2019; and Whereas, Hurricane Dorian has been recorded as having the strongest hurricane wind speed to make landfall in the North Atlantic Ocean Basin since recordkeeping began in the late 1800's; and Whereas, Hurricane Dorian tracked only 25 miles within a 24 hour period, making it the slowest-moving and therefore one of the most destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes in recorded history; and Whereas, The impact of Hurricane Dorian resulted in tremendous loss of life and property damage in the Bahamas and created for many what remain as life-threatening conditions; and Whereas, The Trump Administration has asserted that it will not continue the decades-old practice of extending a form of humanitarian relief know as Temporary Protected Status (TPS), to foreigners in the United States whose home countries are deemed unsafe due to extraordinary circumstances such as war or, as in the case for Bahamians affected by Hurricane Dorian, natural disasters; and Whereas, According to the Bahamian American Association, New York City is home to approximately 36,000 Bahamians with family members who may be affected by Hurricane Dorian; and Whereas, The damage wrought upon the Bahamas by the storm will have an adverse impact upon the nation for months and years to come, including prolonged hardship for people, who if forced to return, would be subject to untold dangerous conditions because of the catastrophic challenges created in the wake of Hurricane Dorian; now, therefore, be it Resolved, The Council of the City of New York calls upon the Department of Homeland Security to grant Temporary Protected Status designation for the Bahamas in the aftermath of the devastation of Hurricane Dorian. CD LS12288 11/8/19