New York City has begun removing migrants from shelters who have been in the system for 30 days or 60 days for young adults between 18-23.
Mayor Eric Adams reached a settlement with migrant advocacy groups this week over the “right to shelter” law.
NBC reported that the city was looking for a solution to cap the number of migrants after nearly 200,000 had flooded the city since 2022.
However, over 65,000 migrants remain in the city’s care.
Just The News reported:
City officials are examining the migrants in a case-by-case basis, because some are entitled or eligible for extensions, such as high school students who are moving towards graduation, people recovering from medical procedures, and those with immigration hearings within 30 days, but it is expected to impact roughly 250 migrants between Wednesday and Sunday.
Adams’ chief of staff Camille Joseph-Varlack told NBC News:
“With more than 65,800 migrants still in our care, and as we continue to manage the arrival of hundreds of new migrants requesting shelter in New York City every day, we have begun implementing the next phase of our settlement.”
“While these changes will require some adaptation, they will help migrants take the next steps in their journeys, reduce the significant strain on our shelter system, and enable us to continue providing essential services to all New Yorkers.”
But the limits do not apply for migrant families with young children, who will be permitted to eapply for shelter when they have reached the time limit.
The city said it would be more persistent in reminding migrants that they are expected to find new homes by giving them an eviction date when they first check into the shelter system.
Migrants will also be given another notice after 15 days, along with guidelines on how to apply for an extension.
The policy comes amid soaring crime rates as the city buckles under breaking point.
Shelters were initially designed to help the city’s homeless population.
However, some critics said the new policy is inhumane, causing the city to force migrants onto the street.
But Adams said the policy would always be inhumane because of complaints about it being enforced in the wintertime as well.
“People said it’s inhumane to put people out during the wintertime, so now they say it’s inhumane to do it in the summertime,” Adams said.
“It’s humane to do it in the springtime. It’s humane to do in the fall time,” Adams said.
“It’s always inhumane to have to not be able to house 198,000 people.”
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