Tensions have escalated between the Mayor’s office of New York City and state and federal governments concerning the management of over 58,000 asylum seekers currently in the city’s care. Complicating matters, the Biden administration is resisting a rapid solution proposed by the state and city.
Numerous migrants, some sent by Republican governors from southern states, are now sleeping on the streets due to overcrowded hotels and shelters. In response, shelters are being set up in repurposed houses of worship and schools. Protests against these new shelters have broken out in parts of the city like Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Queens.
Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, consistently blames the Biden administration for insufficiently providing resources to house the migrants and help them quickly join the workforce. He stresses the importance of allowing asylum seekers to work in order to support themselves and their families. “We’ve been advocating for this since last year – we need the federal government to allow asylum seekers to work,” reiterated Mayor Adams.
However, the federal government’s hands are tied due to a rule requiring a 180-day waiting period before asylum seekers can apply for work authorization. According to two senior officials from the Department of Homeland Security, only Congress can alter this rule. Mayor Adams’ administration proposes an alternative: extending Temporary Protected Status to specific nationalities, like Venezuelans, enabling them to promptly apply for work permits.
Mayor Adams passionately urges the White House and the Department of Homeland Security to consider this approach, citing the dire humanitarian situations in nations like Venezuela, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Sudan, South Sudan, and Cameroon. Nonetheless, Homeland Security officials argue it’s not that straightforward. Although Temporary Protected Status was previously granted to Venezuelans, it only covered those present in the U.S. before March 2021, excluding most recent arrivals in New York.
A former Homeland Security official explains that granting Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelans and others would require new crises in their home countries to justify extending this status to recent U.S. arrivals. The concern is that doing so might inadvertently encourage more individuals from those countries to migrate.
Mayor Adams also calls for expedited processing of work permits by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The agency reports processing times for asylum-based work authorizations have been under two months this fiscal year.
Another hurdle is that many migrants in New York lack proper documentation or legal recognition, rendering them ineligible for asylum claims through U.S. immigration courts. Those who’ve used legal pathways to seek asylum can immediately apply for work authorization, such as scheduling appointments through the CBP One app or enrolling in specific parole processes for nationals of certain countries.
Mayor Adams also urges the federal government to implement strategies for more equitable distribution of the responsibility to shelter new immigrants across cities. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently allocated $77 million to support communities receiving migrants, bringing total funding for border and other cities to over $770 million. The Biden administration seeks an additional $600 million from Congress for cities housing migrants.
Mayor Adams insists that without further aid, the city could face a staggering $12 billion financial burden to house migrants. He calls on both federal and state governments for more support.
Meanwhile, Governor Kathy Hochul, also a Democrat, criticizes Mayor Adams for delayed communication with the state and lack of proactive measures. She emphasizes collaboration between the city and state while seeking more federal assistance. She formally requests President Joe Biden to expedite work authorizations, provide substantial financial support, and permit federal buildings to serve as shelters.
In summary, escalating tensions between New York City’s authorities and state and federal governments stem from the challenge of managing a significant number of asylum seekers. While various proposals exist, complexities related to legal regulations, immigration pathways, and resource allocation make finding a swift resolution a formidable task.