Proposed Res. No. 532-A

Resolution calling on Governor Hochul to declare an emergency under Section 2-B of New York State Executive Law to direct funds, administrative resources and services to aid asylum seekers forcibly transported to the city by the governors of other states.

By Council Members Brooks-Powers, Ayala, Louis, Richardson Jordan, Hudson, Abreu, Riley, De La Rosa and Gutiérrez

Whereas, Since August 5, 2022 the governors of Arizona and Texas have put thousands of asylum-seekers recently arrived in their states from across the international border with Mexico on chartered buses sent out of state to various locations, including New York City; and

Whereas, reports indicate the asylum seekers were not told where Texas authorities were sending them nor allowed to leave the buses; and

Whereas, Texas authorities did not provide the asylum seekers any resources or information on how to secure food, housing, legal aid, education or employment upon arrival in New York City; and

Whereas, a recent report contended that the federal Department of Homeland Security has been encouraging migrants to travel to New York City, and providing often incorrect information about where to receive services; and

Whereas, as of March 19, 2023 more than 52,700 asylum seekers been provided with at least one night of shelter, and more than 31,900 are currently in the city’s care ; and

Whereas, Asylum-seeking New Yorkers are facing hardship as changes to the asylum system strain New York courts, resulting in an almost four year backlog of legal immigration cases and necessitating more resources from local legal and social service and City agencies; and

Whereas, New York City social service agencies and community based and nonprofit organizations have struggled to accommodate thousands of new arrivals who do not have families or friends in New York City to support them and are in dire need of food, clothing, housing, education, medical care and other critical resources and services; and

Whereas, New York City welcomes these asylum seekers and is ready, willing and able to support them but does not have unlimited resources and needs the assistance of the federal government to ensure their safety and well-being; and

Whereas, New York City’s homeless shelter system currently houses approximately 60,000 people, near all-time highs not seen since the Great Depression and an increase of more than ten thousand since just this past July, straining the system beyond its capacity; and

Whereas, Existing challenges to timely shelter placement include staffing issues and a complex application process that often results in placement delays; and

Whereas, a Declaration of Emergency for Asylee Services and Shelter was issued to enable the City to move quickly to procure additional service providers and create an Asylum Seeker Service Referral Center to assist asylum seekers in securing housing and other social services; and

Whereas, under Section 2-B of New York State’s Executive law, the governor has the authority to declare an emergency to direct funds and state resources to ameliorate man-made threats to life; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on Governor Hochul to declare an emergency under Section 2-B of New York State Executive Law to direct funds, administrative resources and services to aid asylum seekers forcibly transported to the city by the governors of other states.

LS #10735

3/30/2023

AY/JG