Office of Asylum Seeker Operations
Since May of 2022, tens of thousands of asylum seekers have arrived in New York City in the hope of a better life. People have arrived on buses from border states, and many have little access to resources or family in the city. As New York has strained to provide resources to asylum seekers, the city has searched for options to handle the influx. Recently, Mayor Eric Adams announced the opening of an arrival center for asylum seekers to connect them with resources. While the arrival center represents some progress for asylum seekers in the city, people need to get competent, qualified legal help with their asylum applications from experienced immigration law attorneys. The legal team at Pozo Goldstein has decades of experience and is prepared to help people when they seek asylum.
New Arrival Center for Asylum-Seekers in NYC
On March 7, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced a new 24-hour arrival center for asylum seekers in the city. He also announced the creation of a new city office called the Office of Asylum Seeker Operations to handle the needs of the tens of thousands of asylum seekers who have arrived in NYC since last spring. Of the 50,000 arrivals, more than 30,000 remain in the care of the city.
The center will include multiple resources to help asylum seekers with their transition. It will offer employment training, services for job training and housing through a partnership with SUNY Sullivan, and a program offered by houses of worship for asylum seekers to connect with services and find places to stay. The Office of Asylum Seeker Operations will be designed to offer similar services to asylum seekers as what was provided last summer as they arrived at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, including some legal assistance.
Mayor Adams said the city will continue to seek operational and financial support from the state and federal governments. The stated goal of the new center will be to help asylum seekers gain self-sufficiency and find employment as quickly as possible. Some people might be resettled elsewhere, although the mayor didn’t indicate where. Instead, he stated that some migrants would be resettled in cities that welcome migrants and have been vetted. No information was provided about the location of the arrival center or when it will open.
According to information provided at a recent city council meeting, NYC won’t receive any additional federal funding during this fiscal year. Currently, the city spends around $364 per day for each migrant household, amounting to approximately $4,6 million each day. An estimated $1 billion has been set aside for the migrant crisis in the New York state budget. NYC will also be eligible for a portion of funding from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) but has not yet applied. However, the available funding from state and federal sources is not sufficient for the migrant crisis with the city anticipating spending nearly $3 billion in the next fiscal year to provide services to asylum seekers.
Need for Experienced, Competent Legal Representation
While the provision of basic legal assistance at the new arrival center might help migrants get started on their legal journey, retaining an experienced and qualified New York immigration lawyer at Pozo Goldstein can make a significant difference in the outcome people might receive. U.S. immigration law is complex and difficult for migrants to navigate. Numerous deadlines must be met, and making mistakes on applications, in interviews, or at hearings can result in denials of asylum.
A New York immigration lawyer who has handled many asylum applications on behalf of migrants can help to ensure everything is completed correctly and that the deadlines are met. An attorney can also provide skilled representation in immigration court and present arguments on behalf of their clients that might increase the chances that they will be successful in their cases.
Talk to a New York Immigration Lawyer
If you are seeking asylum and want skilled help with the process, you should speak to the immigration attorneys at Pozo Goldstein. We have a deep bench of legal experience in immigration law and years of experience helping our clients with asylum cases. Our attorneys include a former immigration law judge and former immigration prosecutors, helping us to identify potential problems and gather the right types of evidence to support the cases of our clients. Call our firm today for a free consultation at (212) 201-9031.
