New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) recently announced a decree implementing stricter regulations on illegal immigrants seeking shelter in the city.
NYC Mayor Announces Decree To Kick More Migrants Out Of City Shelters https://t.co/IM6eWPpZcy
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 16, 2024
With illegal immigration growing across the Big Apple, Adams said the city negotiated an agreement with the Legal Aid Society to decrease the amount of time illegal immigrants can stay in a shelter to around one month, marking a significant drop from what was previously allowed under the 1981 right-to-shelter law, according to the Daily Caller.
Given President Joe Biden’s refusal to enact border security measures, New York has grappled with an ever-increasing immigration crisis, having been forced to make budget cuts to spend billions of taxpayer funds amid the issue.
“Over the last two years, our city has been managing an ongoing national humanitarian crisis, providing shelter and care to approximately 183,000 new arrivals — a number larger than the population of most US cities,” Adams said in a statement.
“Today, the city of New York came to an agreement with The Legal Aid Society which gives us additional flexibility under the 1981 consent decree known as ‘Callahan’ that addresses the ‘Right to Shelter,’” the Democratic mayor added.
“We have been clear since day one that the ‘Right to Shelter’ was never intended to apply to large-scale migrant populations arriving without housing or legal work status in such a short period of time,” Adams said.
“This new agreement acknowledges the realities of where we are today, affirms our shared mission to help those in need and grants us additional flexibility to navigate this ongoing crisis,” he continued.
New York City officials said that under the new decree, illegal immigrants must depart shelters after 30 days and will not be allowed to reapply. Exceptions are applied to those with medical conditions or an “extenuating circumstance.” Illegal immigrants under 23 years old will be allowed to remain in shelters for up to 60 days.
The New York Times pointed out that under the Adams administration, migrant shelter systems resembling tent cities and converted hotels have increased throughout New York City and currently house 65,000 illegal immigrants.
In September 2023, Adams warned that the immigration crisis in New York City had spiraled so out of control that it threatened to ruin the Big Apple.
