NYC reaches agreement for ‘Right To Shelter’ for Caribbean migrants
NEW YORK, CMC – The Mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, on Friday announced that the city has reached an agreement with The Legal Aid Society in providing additional flexibility for the “Right to Shelter” for Caribbean and other migrants.
The Legal Aid Society said it is the largest, most influential social justice law firm in New York City.
After months of negotiations — during which the city said it has continued to respond to the national humanitarian crisis “without meaningful help” from the federal government — Adams said the parties have come to an agreement that gives the city more tools to manage entries and exits of single adult Caribbean and other migrants from the shelter system and ensure the city has the flexibility it needs to continue supporting vulnerable New Yorkers.
Many of the migrants arriving in New York from the southern border of the United States are nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
The mayor said the Right to Shelter — put into place over 40 years ago when the city’s shelter system had fewer than 2,500 people in its care — compared to the 120,000 people, about 65,000 of which are migrants, currently in the city’s care — was never meant to apply to a national humanitarian crisis like the one New York City faces today.
“New York City has led the nation in responding to a national humanitarian crisis, providing shelter and care to approximately 183,000 new arrivals since the spring of 2022, but we have been clear, from day one, that the ‘Right to Shelter’ was never intended to apply to a population larger than most US cities descending on the five boroughs in less than two years,” said Adams.
“Today’s stipulation acknowledges that reality and grants us additional flexibility during times of crisis, like the national humanitarian crisis we are currently experiencing,” he added.
“Thank you to the court and The Legal Aid Society for recognising that the status quo cannot continue and for giving New York City additional tools to address this crisis while ensuring that the most vulnerable can continue to receive the support they need,” Adams said.
