NEW YORK, CMC – New York City Mayor Eric Adams says the city will open a 12th Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center as thousands of Caribbean and other asylum seekers continue to arrive weekly in the city.

Adams said that soon, 1760 Third Avenue in Manhattan will open as a humanitarian relief centre to serve more than 500 families with children seeking asylum, providing a range of services, in addition to ensuring they can reach their desired destination, if not New York City.

Many asylum seekers arriving in New York City from the southern border of the United States are Venezuelans, Cubans and Haitians.

“With over 50,000 asylum seekers currently in our care and a total of over 81,200 asking us for care since last spring, New York City continues to do more than any other city or level of government to address this national crisis,” said Mayor Adams.

“We continue to meet the needs of people arriving in New York, but as the number of asylum seekers continue to grow, we are in serious need of support from the federal government. This 12th Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center will provide over 500 households with a place to stay, access support, and get to their final destination,” he added.

He said the centre demonstrates the city’s commitment to meeting its obligations and doing so with care, compassion, and dignity for every person.

“However, our city cannot continue to shoulder a disproportionate responsibility for what we know is a national issue. The federal government needs to provide additional assistance and a coordinated decompression strategy to relieve the pressure being felt by many major cities across the country, particularly New York City,” said deputy mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom.

Adams said since the humanitarian crisis began, the city has taken “fast and urgent action” opening, among others, about 175 emergency shelters, enrolling thousands of children in public schools through Project Open Arms, launching the Asylum Application Help Center to help migrants with their asylum applications; and more.

Earlier this year, the city released “the Road Forward: A Blueprint to Address New York City’s Response to the Asylum Seeker Crisis,” detailing how the city will continue to manage the influx of asylum seekers and advocate for support from federal and state partners.