New York City to partner with houses of worship to address migrant crisis

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced that houses of worship will offer overnight shelter as the nation's largest city grapples with an influx of migrants.

A new, two-year partnership with New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS) will allow up to 50 houses of worship or faith-based spaces to take in up to 19 single adult men at each location, according to the mayor's office.

The program will host nearly 1,000 asylum seekers, with potential for further expansion and will offer "a full suite of services, including dining and social areas, shower facilities, meals, storage space, and more," it said.

The city will also open five daytime centers.

"No matter what faith you practice, caring for those in need is part of every spiritual tradition," said Adams. "Not only will this increase the space we have by nearly 1,000 beds, but it will also connect asylum seekers with local communities".

New York City has hosted over 72,000 asylum seekers since last spring, with more than 46,000 still in the city’s care.

Adams has repeatedly called on the federal government to provide multiple forms of support, including expedited work authorization for asylum seekers, a nationwide decompression strategy, increased funding to manage the crisis, and meaningful immigration reform.