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COMMUNITY OP-ED FEBRUARY 28, 2025 | The Indian Eye 12

Meeting Crisis with Compassion:

Helping Migrants on the Path to

their American Dream

The Roosevelt Hotel has been key in allowing us to effectively manage our operations, processing

almost 75 percent of migrants who have entered our city asking for shelter over the last two

years. Out of the more than 232,600 migrants who have come into the city’s care, over 173,000

registrations were completed at The Roosevelt Hotel between May 2023 and February 2025

ERIC ADAMS

ew York City is a city built by immigrants,
and we are not just stronger because of our
Ndiversity — we are the greatest city on the
globe because of it. Since 2022, we have faced an During the height of the influx, the city received an average of 4,000 arrivals each week. Now, because of our administration’s
unprecedented influx of asylum seekers across the
five boroughs as conditions worsened in countries skillful management, we are down to an average of just 350 new arrivals each week (File photo)
abroad. Our administration met that influx head-
on, offering newcomers food, clothing, and shelter. Relief Center for nearly two years — will be clos- — continue to find creative ways to assist recent
Thanks to our efforts, over 189,100 of the 232,600 ing in the coming months. Thanks to the successful arrivals, from direct outreach and resource fairs
of the migrants — or 81 percent — who request- strategies we implemented here in New York City, to onsite English as a Second Language courses
ed services from the city in the last three years we are able to help even more asylum seekers take at shelters.
have taken the next steps in their journeys toward the next steps in their journeys, while simultane- During the height of the influx, the city re-
self-sufficiency. ously saving taxpayers millions of dollars. ceived an average of 4,000 arrivals each week. Now,
Because of the Adams administration’s work The Roosevelt Hotel has been key in allowing because of our administration’s skillful manage-
to address the international crisis and to support us to effectively manage our operations, process- ment, we are down to an average of just 350 new
asylum seekers as they pursue their path towards ing almost 75 percent of migrants who have en- arrivals each week. With the closure of our opera-
the American Dream, 84 percent of eligible adult tered our city asking for shelter over the last two tions at The Roosevelt Hotel, our intake functions
migrants have either received work authorization years. Out of the more than 232,600 migrants who and supportive services will now be integrated into
or applied for work authorization. The city also have come into the city’s care, over 173,000 regis- other areas of the system.
purchased more than 53,200 tickets to help asylum trations were completed at The Roosevelt Hotel Our actions have shown an entire nation what
seekers reach their preferred destinations and re- between May 2023 and February 2025. can be accomplished when we lead with compas-
duce long-term costs for New York City taxpayers. Since the first asylum seekers arrived in New sion and resourcefulness. Because of the work we
While we continue to care for those who arrive York City in the spring of 2022, we have focused have done, we will emerge from this crisis stronger
in our city, last week marked another milestone in on helping them become self-sufficient. The New than ever before. We are all New Yorkers together:
demonstrating the immense progress of our un- York City Department of Small Business Services anything that affects one of us, affects us all. I have
paralleled, international humanitarian effort. has connected the migrant population to hundreds faith in our great city to continue to be a beacon of
We announced that The Roosevelt Hotel — of job opportunities. And the administration’s case hope, and a place where people from every corner
which has served as both our Asylum Arrival Cen- management and resettlement teams — in con- of the world can build a new life.
ter and a Humanitarian Emergency Response and junction with teams across multiple city agencies Eric Adams is the Mayor of New York City, NY

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