In anticipation of an even greater influx of migrants expected after ‘Title 42’ ends at midnight, New York Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order to suspend parts of the reception rules for asylum seekersstarting with that of the ‘right to shelter’ which requires asylum seekers, especially families, to find a bed within the same day of the request for assistance.
“New York City welcomed more than 61,000 migrants last year, given them shelter, food and assistance almost entirely with our own strength. In recent days, 500 people are arriving a day and we expect these numbers to increase significantly when Title 42 is revoked tomorrow,” said a spokesman for the Democratic mayor, referring to the measures that from the beginning of the pandemic to today, the official end of the Covid emergency in the USA, has allowed about 2.7 million migrants to be rejected at the border.
“No asylum-seeking families who sought shelter from us last year have slept on the streets thanks to our colossal efforts, but without increased federal and state support, we fear the worst could come,” adds Adams’ spokesperson, explaining that with ” 130 emergency centers and eight humanitarian reception centers have reached our limit and last week we started welcoming people into gyms”. For this reason it was decided to suspend part of the right to shelter rules: “it is not a decision taken lightly and we will make every effort to provide asylum seekers with accommodation as quickly as possible”, concludes the note. The mayor also suspended the measure that requires families to be accommodated in private and not group accommodation and loosened the protections that prevent those who have been in accommodation for more than 30 days from being kicked out.
