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North The Indian Eye

AMERICANNewsline

20 SEPTEMBER 15, 2023

Amid deepening asylum seeker crisis,

Mayor Adams announces new steps to stabilize

city’s budget as required by law

All Agencies to Submit PEGs in Response to Risks Posed by Rising Asylum Seeker Costs with

COVID Funding Ending, Revenue Growth Slowing

OUR BUREAU
NEW YORK, NY
ew York City Mayor Eric Adams today
announced several steps to stabilize the
Ncity’s finances given the convergence of cir-
cumstances threatening New York City’s financial
stability. Because the city has been forced to bear
most costs of the asylum seeker humanitarian cri-
sis at a time when revenue growth is slowing and
COVID-19 stimulus funding is sunsetting, the city
faces substantial fiscal disruption if circumstances
do not change.
Since the beginning of the asylum seeker cri-
sis, New York City has taken urgent action, open-
ing more than 200 emergency shelters for the more
than 110,000 migrants who have arrived in the five
boroughs seeking shelter. Today, with approximately
10,000 asylum seekers still arriving each month, the
city estimates this mounting crisis will cost taxpayers
$12 billion over three fiscal years — an amount that out and reduced revenue growth, our city’s financial this difficult decision to stabilize our budget. How-
will continue to grow without federal and state in- future may be at risk if we do not act,” said Mayor ever, the message from day one remains the same
tervention and support. In an effort to maintain the Adams. “Our city continues to receive approximate- — this a national problem that demands a national
city’s fiscal strength, the Adams administration is ly 10,000 asylum seekers each month, and, as we laid solution. While New York City has led the nation
actively working to reduce housing and other costs out last month, we anticipate spending $12 billion by doing its part in welcoming, sheltering, and car-
by transitioning migrants out of the shelter system through the end of Fiscal Year 2025 if circumstanc- ing for asylum seekers, we need everyone impacted
and humanitarian emergency response and relief es do not change. While our compassion is limitless, from New York State to the national government to
centers to more cost-effective shelter, in addition to our resources are not. This is a sobering fact, and now play their part.”
looking closely at other ways to reduce the costs of that’s why today’s decision was not made lightly. At “Desperate times calls for desperate measures,
caring for the asylum seekers. this time, we are asking all of our agencies to submit and these are desperate times,” said Chief Advisor
The administration will also be taking additional a plan to reduce their city-funded spending in each Ingrid P. Lewis-Martin. “The federal government
actions to control spending and promote budget sav- year of our financial plan, but the die is not yet cast. has all but abandoned New York City, and the state
ings that will be announced in the near future. May- If we can get the substantial support we need from is not doing its fair share to assist New York City,
or Adams has been clear, however, that these costs our federal and state partners, we can avoid these which is managing a federal humanitarian crisis on
may affect every city service. As such, earlier today, funding reductions. We need Washington and Alba- a municipality’s budget. As a result, our administra-
he directed every agency to implement a 5 percent ny to finally do their part by paying their fair share tion has to make tough decisions.”
reduction in city-funded spending in each year of the and coming up with a decompression strategy that Last month, Mayor Adams unveiled an updat-
financial plan through a Program to Eliminate the reduces the pressure on New York City, so we are ed forecast for asylum seeker costs, showing that the
Gap (PEG) as part of the upcoming November Plan, not forced to manage this crisis almost entirely on asylum seeker population has grown faster than pre-
Preliminary Budget, and Executive Budget. The ad- our own. We also continue to raise our call for ex- viously anticipated and that absent additional state
ministration will seek to minimize disruption to pro- pedited work authorization and comprehensive im- and federal support, the crisis could cost the city more
grams and services, and there will not be layoffs. migration reform to immediately address this crisis.” than $12 billion over three fiscal years. This figure
“Since the large influx of asylum seekers to our “Our administration has always led by following represents almost triple the city’s previous $3.9 billion
city began last spring, we have warned New York- the facts to make the most informed decision,” said estimate for two fiscal years, which was funded in the
ers that every city service could be impacted by this Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack. “With a $12 city’s financial plan. This means that, without addi-
crisis if we did not get the support we needed. Cou- billion forecast and an average of 10,000 asylum tional state and federal support, the city will need to
pling the costs of a national crisis that has fallen onto seekers still coming to New York City every month, add another $7 billion to the financial plan over this
New York City with COVID funding that is running the facts show that this administration must make year and the next to meet rapidly expanding needs.

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