REMARKS
Council Member Diana Ayala's opening remarks on asylum seeker shelter stay limits
0:07:02
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4 min
Council Member Diana Ayala opens the hearing on the implementation of the administration's 30/60 day rules for asylum seekers in city shelters. She provides context on the city's response to the influx of asylum seekers, outlines the challenges faced by newcomers, and expresses concerns about the shelter stay limits policy.
- Ayala highlights that over 200,000 immigrant newcomers have arrived since 2022, with 59,000 in the city's care as of October 27th.
- She mentions key issues to be discussed, including inadequate casework services, mail access difficulties, and concerns about education continuity for children.
- The hearing aims to hear from impacted individuals, advocates, and the administration about the implementation and challenges of the shelter stay limits policy.
Diana Ayala
0:07:02
Good morning, everyone.
0:07:06
Bear with us a minute.
0:07:08
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to today's hearing.
0:07:10
My name is Diana Ayala, and I am the deputy speaker of the New York City Council and the chair of the General Welfare Committee.
0:07:17
And I will be speaking this way because we have translation services that are ongoing, and so I'm trying to be mindful and speak as slowly as possible.
0:07:27
Today, we are holding an oversight hearing on the implementation of the administration's 30 60 day rules for asylum seekers in city shelters.
0:07:36
International and domestic law recognizes an individual's right to flee persecution in their home city.
0:07:52
From unnecessary interference with their right to reside in this city and this country.
0:07:58
And those laws continue to hold true regardless of any changes from January.
0:08:03
In addition to these protections, the city has also always provided our New York our New Yorkers with an array of available resources that this city has to offer, including shelter.
0:08:15
Since 2022, the city has welcomed more than 200,000 immigrant newcomers with many coming to the city seeking asylum and other forms of immigration relief.
0:08:26
Many of these new city residents began their journey residing in the city's shelter system in DHS run shelters and humanitarian emergency response relief centers or HERCs and respite centers run by other city agencies.
0:08:42
As of October 27th this year, the Adams administration reported that over 59,000 of these new immigrants were in the city's care.
0:08:53
Immigration to a new country includes many obstacles from, the often harrowing and dangerous journeys to claim asylum to the long and sometimes inefficient immigration process that indicate when new arrivals can work to care for themselves and their families.
0:09:11
Unfortunately, policies such as the administration's 30 60 day shelter stays limit, limits at unnecessary additional challenges to this arduous process.
0:09:22
In July 2023, the Adams administration has imposed limits on sheltered stay for asylum seekers and immigrant, new arrivals, beginning with 60 day limits for single adults that eventually lessened to 30 days, and then 60 day limits for families staying in HURCs.
0:09:39
We have heard from many New Yorkers about the challenges created by these shelter stays, stay limits, including inadequate casework services provided to those subject to these sheltered state limits, difficulties in receiving their mail, and important documents sent by federal agencies regarding their immigration cases, continued access to legal services, and significant concerns regarding continuity of education for children and fam of families.
0:10:06
We're here today to hear from directly impacted individuals, advocates, and the administration about the implementation of the shelter state limits, challenges that they may have caused to individuals and families, and what the future of these policies looks like.
0:10:20
At this time, I'd like to acknowledge, that we've been joined by council member Brewer and Aviles, and I'm sure that we'll be joined by others, shortly.
0:10:30
I I also wanted to recognize that we have been joined, by the AP government, students from the high school of health and, professions and their teacher Deborah Falmino from Carlino Rivera's district.
0:10:44
Thank you for coming.
0:10:47
Thank you.
0:10:48
And I believe that we are also being joined by John, Bone High School Students as well, I'm not sure if they're if they're here, but if they are, welcome as well.
0:11:00
At this time, I'd also like to, thank my committee staff who worked to prepare this hearing.
0:11:05
Sahar Moazami, legislative counsel.
0:11:07
Nina Rosenberg, policy analyst.
0:11:10
Julia Harrimas, unit head, Faria, Paria Parina.
0:11:15
Sorry.
0:11:15
Ramon, analyst finance analyst.
0:11:18
Sorry.
0:11:18
I'm, like, stumbling through my words today.
0:11:20
Anne Driscoll, data analyst, and finally, my staff, Elsie Encarnacion, chief of staff.
0:11:25
I would now like to turn it over to chair, Aviles for her opening remarks.
