Testimony Regarding the City’s Response and Delivery of Services to Migrants

The arrival of thousands of migrants and asylum seekers to New York City in recent months has created new challenges for the city, exposed weaknesses in its support and services infrastructure, and highlighted the generosity of the many ordinary New Yorkers who have stepped in to provide aid. Housing and transportation for arriving migrants has been inadequate, as have on-site translation services necessary to navigate an unfamiliar landscape of public services. We have heard from people turned away from shelters for not having documentation that had been confiscated from them by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

In our testimony, we focus on a few areas where the Council can use its legislative and oversight authority to not only respond to the influx of recently arrived migrants but also make New York City a safer and more welcoming place for all immigrants.