A Brooklyn mom is standing up against city officials after a male migrant shelter was placed near her children's school.

Officials' decision to open an all-male migrant shelter near an elementary school in Brooklyn has left residents surprised.

"Brooklyn mom of three Irina Edelstein, who is featured in the Independent Women's Forum documentary "Brooklyn's Border Crisis," stated that they wanted to know the details of when it would occur, the logistics involved, and the safety measures that would be taken. However, they did not receive any transparency regarding the matter."

Since the establishment of a 400-bed migrant shelter in Brooklyn's Gowanus neighborhood last April, Edelstein's community has been facing safety concerns. The shelter is located approximately 1,000 feet from City Life Academy, a private Christian K-12 school where Edelstein's children study.

City Life Academy Principal Jeffrey Reed, who is also a pastor and father, disagrees with the statement made by city officials at a public meeting in March that they had spoken to all the school principals in the area and received their approval for the shelter.

He discovered the shelter two months before the meeting, which had been planned for almost a year, according to the documentary.

Despite the packed March community meeting, Edelstein alleges that city leaders were not transparent about their plans for safety protocols and logistics for the shelter.

The pastor stated that he believed officials opened the shelter in secret due to fear of community opposition.

"Reed stated that making a decision in front of others would result in them chiming in, and this is why it should be avoided. He explained that they were aware of the potential pushback and understood that if they had followed the proper channels, the situation may not have occurred."

The NYC Department of Social Services spokesperson informed Planet Chronicle Digital that the emergency shelter was brought to the attention of local officials prior to its opening, and proper protocols were adhered to.

Over 215,000 asylum seekers have arrived in New York City since spring 2022, requiring shelter. Currently, over 62,300 remain in the city's care, with hundreds more arriving each week. This has put immense strain on the city's existing shelter infrastructure. To provide appropriate shelter services and essential supports to new arrivals, it was critical to bring online additional capacity to meet the growing need. Local elected officials were notified about this facility months in advance, and community engagement was conducted prior to opening. DSS-DHS is committed to serving all those in need, both long-term New Yorkers and new arrivals, and ensuring the safety of clients and the community at all times.

Edelstein claims that theft has become almost a daily occurrence in their neighborhood since the shelter's opening, and she describes troubling things she and her family members have witnessed from the male migrants in the documentary.

To enhance safety during the upcoming school year, Reed has implemented new measures, such as engaging a group of fathers to keep watch outside during school hours and act as a deterrent to any potential troublemakers.

"We increased our security measures," he stated. "Unfortunately, we now need to implement this measure for every square foot of the outside area."

The migrant crisis is affecting Brooklyn residents and cities across the United States, and they are speaking out to raise awareness.

"Unless you speak up, get involved, or have the boldness to point things out, nothing will change, and the situation will only get worse, according to Edelstein."

The residents of Brooklyn expressed their support for legal immigration but emphasized the need for law enforcement. Edelstein, an immigrant herself, arrived in the US from the former Soviet Union at the age of a teenager.

"There's a difference between immigration and invasion," she said.

Reed expresses sympathy for those striving to improve their lives and provides assistance to men at the shelter.

"Reed, in the documentary, shares that he has witnessed immigrants coming to their church. As a result, he feels a connection to them. However, he laments that they have also mentioned the presence of "bad players" in the shelters, which he believes is a significant issue."

According to Planet Chronicle Digital, New York City residents aren't anti-immigrant but they feel that their safety has been compromised due to the city officials' prioritization of illegal migrants over the needs of their own citizens, as stated by IWF spokesperson Andrea Mew.

"Unfortunately, it seems that from Irina's perspective, the city is placing more emphasis on housing people who are not legally residing there than on protecting its own citizens who have been there for generations. This is particularly concerning given that New York is a diverse and vibrant city with people from all walks of life. It's telling that even legal immigrants understand the negative impact of not having strong border policies in place."

Some residents have questioned the legality of the shelter and the rushed manner in which it was established since its inception.

An investigation revealed that the city and the owner of the shelter's building did not follow environmental testing protocols and violated building codes to speed up the shelter's opening, prompting locals to file a lawsuit against them.

According to the New York Post, a lawsuit filed in Brooklyn state Supreme Court alleges that the city, 130 Third Owner LLC, and BHRAGS Home Care Corp failed to conduct an environmental review under state law or take into account the long-standing history of environmental contamination in the area.

The emergency migrant shelter set up in Clinton Hill a year ago has led to an increase in gang-related crime, according to residents in the Democratic stronghold. In July, locals held a protest urging Mayor Eric Adams to address their concerns.

"Renee Collymore, the Democratic liaison who organized the protest, stated, "We must be heard. The time has come for action," emphasizing that the protest was not about anti-migrants but rather prioritizing safety."

Planet Chronicle' Madeline Coggins and Hannah Grossman contributed to this article.