For the first time, NYC housing more migrants than homeless New Yorkers

There is a new milestone in New York City’s migrant crisis. One of the most populous cities in the US is now sheltering more asylum seekers than homeless New Yorkers.

The tipping point took place Sunday when compared to the 49,700 local shelter residents, 50,000 migrants were in the City’s care.

The massive influx – especially from countries in Latin America such as Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador – has got the NYC shelter system essentially double in size.

Sheltering Asylum Seekers Relatively More Challenging

Additionally, housing asylum seekers always proves to be more expensive. An absence of work permits leaves a number of asylum seekers struggling to pay for basic necessities. They cannot apply for all the same public assistance benefits as citizens.

Moreover, when it comes to the migrants, NYC is unfortunately not collecting its usual share of shelter costs from the federal and state governments.

During a tour of the new arrival centre at the Roosevelt Hotel, Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom said: “I have these conflicting feelings.” She noted the human cost on staff assisting asylum seekers and the financial cost – an estimated $4.3 billion through next spring.

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NYC’s Raging Migrant Crisis

New York City is currently dealing with a deepening migrant crisis. The city is receiving a number of asylum seekers each day from the federal government.

But the system has left many struggling and even on the streets. “They are working 12-hour shifts … There is no relief coming … They are just getting exhausted with the magnitude.”

City officials say they are rerouting numerous asylum seekers to other destinations, setting aside a handful of rooms at the Roosevelt arrival centre where the migrants can take shelter for a short period while they make arrangements.

Currently, the daily average of incoming migrants is approximately 400. But it isn’t clear how many are leaving or getting rerouted on a daily basis.