New York is grappling with a significant influx of asylum seekers, which could result in an estimated expenditure of US$12 billion over the coming three years, as reported by Mayor Eric Adams.
The city’s unique legislation compels it to offer free accommodation to any individual seeking it.
Since April 2022, there have been 100,000 asylum requests, predominantly from Latin American regions, especially Venezuela and Central America.
Each immigrant incurs a daily expense of approximately US$383 for the city.
(NYC Mayor Eric Adams)
For the fiscal year of 2023 (ending June 30th), the city has already allocated US$1.45 billion for asylum seeker’s housing, food, and services.
Without any policy modifications and external support, the impending costs, considering current trends, might escalate to the anticipated US$12 billion in the next three fiscal years, constituting around 4.1% of the city’s yearly budget.
The city has repurposed over 200 facilities, including schools, hotels, and shelters, to accommodate the 57,300 current asylum seekers.
This number is a fraction of the city’s 8.5 million population.
Additional services such as food, clothing, healthcare, and special educational needs, particularly language training for arriving children, are also provided.
Mayor Adams, expressing concern over the situation, commented, “While our compassion knows no bounds, our resources are finite.”
He seeks federal assistance to address what he describes as an “international humanitarian crisis”.
Among the proposals he suggests is expediting work permits for immigrants and urging a nationwide, equitable distribution of asylum seekers.
The city continues to receive buses of asylum seekers from Republican-led southern states, seemingly in opposition to the current federal administration’s lenient immigration stance.
Recent visuals highlighted individuals, mainly from African nations, finding temporary refuge outside landmarks like Manhattan’s Roosevelt Hotel, which currently hosts 3,000 individuals and serves as a registration center for new asylum seekers.
In closing, the Mayor emphasized, “New Yorkers did not instigate this international humanitarian situation, yet the city is largely left to navigate this challenge on its own.”