In a recent press conference, Mayor Eric Adams highlighted the successes and ongoing challenges of New York City’s strategy to accommodate the surge of migrants seeking shelter in the metropolis. While the mayor’s office reports some effectiveness in creating space for new arrivals by issuing 30- and 60-day notices to vacate, the plan’s execution has led to a significant data gap and raised concerns about the displaced migrants’ whereabouts.
According to City Hall, less than 20% of those who received notices have stayed within the city’s shelter system, amounting to about 1,700 individuals from the 8,480 who have reached their stay limits. However, the fate of the remaining 80% — nearly 6,800 people — is unknown, as the city has not tracked their destinations after leaving the shelters.
Since spring 2022, New York has become a destination for over 120,000 migrants, primarily asylum-seekers, with over 60,000 currently housed in various city shelters. The Adams administration has openly stated the city’s capacity crisis, signaling an urgent need for space to house the newcomers.
To mitigate the issue, the administration quietly opened two new sites last month. A “reticketing center,” where migrants with vacate notices can obtain a free bus or plane ticket to another city, and a “waiting room” for those in line for a city shelter, were both launched as part of the city’s efforts to streamline the management of migrants reaching their stay limits.
Yet, these initiatives have been met with confusion among migrants, as reported by Josh Goldfein, a staff attorney at the nonprofit Legal Aid Society, and Ariadna Phillips, an organizer with South Bronx Mutual Aid. Migrants, uncertain of their next destination, have faced a new level of chaos, with the locations of the “waiting room” changing multiple times and some spending several days in temporary accommodations.
Goldfein has expressed concern over the lack of clear communication about the new programs from the city to both migrants and staff, which has contributed to the uncertainty. He witnessed firsthand the confusion of migrants who, upon being removed from shelters, are unsure where to turn, some ending up at the “reticketing” center, while others find themselves at different intake locations like the Roosevelt Hotel arrival center.
In defense of the city’s actions, spokesperson Kayla Mamelak cited the two sites as a measure to more efficiently assist migrants as they reach their shelter stay limits, prioritizing space for the newest arrivals. The additional confusion, she says, stems from the continued influx of new migrants and emphasizes the city’s acute need for support from state and federal entities.
The urgency of the situation was underscored by Mamelak’s statement, which called for a united front in seeking assistance and a decompression strategy from higher levels of government, characterizing the city’s solo efforts to manage the crisis as a herculean task.
During the press conference, Adams also announced that he has retained a private defense attorney, Boyd Johnson, a former top federal prosecutor, amidst legal scrutiny following an FBI raid on the home of his chief fundraiser, Brianna Suggs. The raid, which involved the seizure of documents from Suggs’ Brooklyn residence, is linked to a wider investigation into Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign finances. The investigations have cast a shadow over Adams’ administration, with recent charges against six individuals, including a former police commander, for a straw donor scheme designed to funnel illegal contributions to Adams’ campaign. Additionally, there are allegations involving another scheme with a Brooklyn builder and foreign funds from Turkey.
Adams defended his decision to cancel meetings in Washington, D.C., and at the annual Somos conference in Puerto Rico, citing the city’s financial crisis due to the migrant influx and his responsibility to address the city’s pressing issues. The migrant crisis has led to a call for significant municipal budget cuts to manage the costs associated with providing housing and services, which could total $12 billion over three years.
The press conference comes as Adams faces multiple legal and political challenges, including the indictment of his first buildings commissioner on corruption charges. Amidst these troubles, his administration has tightened access to City Hall for reporters, limiting briefings and interactions with the press.
