QUESTION
Can the 60-day notice procedure for asylum seekers be eliminated, and what are its costs?
1:23:04
·
147 sec
Council Member Gale A. Brewer raises concerns about the impact and costs of the 60-day notice procedure for asylum seekers, with a focus on family welfare and financial efficiency.
- Approximately 51% of families leave the shelter before or on the 60th day, while 49% reapply, including those who return to the shelter after leaving.
- The Mayor's Office of Asylum Seeker Operations (OASO) lacks precise cost data for reapplying but highlights operational efficiencies that have been achieved.
- Brewer questions the necessity of continuing the 60-day notices, highlighting concerns over the procedure's impact on asylum seekers and questioning the expectation of an increased inflow of seekers if the procedure is altered.
- OASO emphasizes the unpredictability of asylum seeker inflow and the need to maintain flexible policies and data-driven decisions.
Gale A. Brewer
1:23:04
In terms of I wanna thank health and hospitals because young people in school have been staying in Manhattan if they are in a Manhattan school, and I wanna thank know, credit where credit is due.
1:23:16
My concern is, okay.
1:23:17
So now 60 days, I'm still in Manhattan.
1:23:19
I'm still at PS 87, but then I'm gonna get another 60 day notice.
1:23:23
I assume from the next place I'm living.
1:23:25
Can we cut that out and just stop all the 60 day nonsense?
1:23:29
Because, a, I don't think it's good for the families, but also, what's the cost?
1:23:33
I did ask this of OMB.
1:23:35
What's the cost of keep this churning going?
Molly Schaeffer
1:23:38
So at this point, 51% of our families are leaving before the 60 either before the 60th day or on the 60th day.
1:23:48
So that means 49% are coming and reapplying for a shelter system.
Gale A. Brewer
1:23:52
Some are coming back, however, just so you know, they leave, and then they do call the school because I happen to know every single you can imagine Manhattan family that has called because they all call me and tell me.
1:24:04
They're coming back in some cases.
1:24:06
Go ahead.
1:24:06
So you got 49% the house.
Molly Schaeffer
1:24:08
No.
1:24:08
But but that the stat that I said includes the people who came back after a couple of weeks.
1:24:14
It includes it came back to shelter.
Gale A. Brewer
1:24:16
Okay.
1:24:16
Yeah.
1:24:17
49%.
Molly Schaeffer
1:24:18
It's 49% who are still in care.
1:24:20
Now.
Alexa Avilés
1:24:21
Okay.
Molly Schaeffer
1:24:22
I don't have the exact numbers of what it costs to have people reapply, but we have the arrival center opened 247.
1:24:31
We actually were able to reduce staffing there as part of our PEG process and not change anything about operations.
1:24:38
And so that's where people are coming back.
Gale A. Brewer
1:24:41
Okay.
1:24:42
I'm just saying, can we not do the 6 the day churning again.
1:24:46
That's my question.
1:24:46
Is that something that's being considered?
1:24:48
Now you have your 49%.
1:24:50
I don't think you're gonna get this big wave.
1:24:52
I know you think you might.
1:24:53
Everybody has the worry.
1:24:55
I got it.
1:24:56
But before, can we not plan not to have more churning?
Molly Schaeffer
1:25:00
So we plan in surges and valleys as you
Gale A. Brewer
1:25:04
as you I know.
1:25:05
I can give a speech.
Molly Schaeffer
1:25:06
And and the border we can't control the border.
1:25:09
We can't control inflow.
1:25:10
The only thing we can control.
1:25:12
But our people, when they're in our sites, and how we can help them figure out the next steps for them in their
Gale A. Brewer
1:25:18
also have to be thinking about good policy, in my opinion.
Molly Schaeffer
1:25:21
So we we need all the tools in our toolbox.
1:25:25
This is another tool in our toolbox, and we're continuing always to evaluate it and make data driven decisions.