NEW YORK (CMC) – New York Governor Kathy Hochul says the state is continuing efforts to support Caribbean and other asylum seekers and to help them find shelter and connect them with critical social services as they arrive in the state.

Hochul said the state’s efforts come as New York Attorney General Letitia James has called on the Biden administration in the United States to take immediate action to grant work authorisation permits for Caribbean and other migrants who are new to the United States.

Many of the refugees arriving in New York from the southern borders of the United States are nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela and Nicaragua.

The New York Governor said the state’s efforts include US$250 million in funding already sent to the city, progress resulting from continued advocacy with the federal government and additional National Guard deployments.

“Since asylum seekers first arrived in New York, we have been providing significant humanitarian aid as New York City works to meet their legal obligation to provide shelter,” Hochul said. “We will continue our efforts to provide financial support, personnel and equipment, and continued advocacy for federal assistance.”

As a part of the US$1 billion in funding Hochul secured in the Fiscal Year 2024 State Budget, the governor advanced US$250 million to the city to reimburse their costs.

She said this financial support will continue as the city continues to make additional financial expenditures.

The governor said the US$250 million payment to New York City will be used to financially support Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers (HERRC), sanctuary sites, and respite renters, as well as welcome, intake, and navigation centres that provide immediate assistance to asylum seekers.

The governor also announced the deployment of additional New York National Guard personnel and assets to asylum seeker sites in Erie County in New York.

The deployment to Erie County builds on more than 1,800 National Guard personnel who are currently providing logistical and operational support to shelters in New York City.