As more immigrants continue to arrive in New York City seeking asylum, the city council’s Social Welfare committee held a hearing Tuesday to discuss conditions at city-run shelters.
“The biggest challenge is that this is historic, it is something that was not expected, but New York City is a city that welcomes immigrants,” said Manuel Castro, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for Immigration Affairs. .
Commissioner Castro said that buses with immigrants from Texas and Arizona are arriving daily. One is expected for this Tuesday night and two more on Wednesday.
It is something that is saturating the city’s shelter system.
“New York is a city of immigrants and we will always welcome newcomers with open arms. Once you are here, you are a New Yorker and we have your back,” Commissioner Castro said, according to a description of a social media message from the Office about the hearing.
Our Commissioner @MCastroMOIA testifying before the @NYCCouncil Committee on General Welfare on influx of asylum seekers to NYC:
“New York is a city of immigrants, and we will always welcome newcomers with open arms. Once you’re here, you’re a New Yorker, and we have your back”. pic.twitter.com/GMQNtGZj6t
— NYC Immigrant Affairs (@NYCImmigrants) August 9, 2022
The commissioner of the department of social services said that according to his most recent data, more than 4,000 immigrants, children, men and women seeking asylum have been housed in the city’s shelters.
Officials estimate that approximately 100 people apply for asylum every day.
He added that the city’s shelter system has less than one percent capacity and therefore they are opening 11 hotels, in different counties to house the new arrivals.
And to cope with the crisis, the mayor’s office has asked the federal government for help.
“To be able to do this work as it should be done and why we are doing it compared to the state of Texas or Arizona that are not doing it and instead they are sending people,” added Castro.
Castro.
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But homeless advocates say the city’s shelter crisis is nothing new and are calling on the government to invest more resources in creating shelters and affordable housing.
“So people have the opportunity to get out of the shelters and use the shelters only as a temporary option,” said Taysha Milagros Clark of the Coalition for the Homeless.
Meanwhile, community organizations are assisting and providing legal advice to some of these immigrants. One of their biggest concerns is that they have a stable address.
“They have to respond to the information they receive from immigration and without a home, a permanent residence, it’s very difficult,” said Monsignor Kevin Sullivan of Catholic Charities.
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