Transcript: Deputy Mayor For Health And Human Services Anne Williams-Isom To Hold Briefing On Asylum Seeker Crisis

June 7, 2023

Watch the video here at https://www.youtube.com/live/24tgNdTb67U?feature=share

Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom, Health and Human Services: Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Anne Williams-Isom and I'm the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, and I'm here this week to continue our series of briefings on the asylum seeker crisis. I'm joined today by our corporation counsel, Judge Sylvia Hinds-Radix and Pastor Gil Monrose, the executive director of the Mayor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships and a faith advisor to the mayor. I want to start today by thanking Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Democratic Leader Jeffries for responding to the needs of New York City by helping us to secure over $104 million in much needed funding and fighting for the five boroughs as we continue to face this humanitarian crisis. We have already spent over $1.2 billion and expect to spend over $4.3 billion through next June, but it's clear that without the efforts of congressional leadership New York City would not be able to receive this additional federal funding, so we want to thank you so much for your advocacy and for your efforts.

We look forward to continuing to work with our entire congressional delegation to bring more resources and support New York City, as well as to push the federal government to expedite work authorization for asylum seekers. As I have discussed previously, the city's response to the asylum seeker crisis over this past year has been a whole government effort, but it has also been a citywide effort for many others as sectors of society stepping up, nonprofits, community organizations, volunteers, the faith community, and many, many other New Yorkers who have stepped up to support in this effort. For decades, houses of worships have been the cornerstone of many of our communities, providing support and a helping hand to those who are either impoverished or new to this country. That legacy of lifting people up in times of need continues today.

Before I turn it over to Pastor Monrose to speak about our new recent announcement in partnership with the New York Disaster Interfaith Services in houses of worship across the city, I want to thank our past partners in the faith-based community and beyond for stepping up over this past year and continuing with all that they have done. I said to the Pastor earlier, in order for us to get to this day there were months and months of work that had to happen, so I'm so thankful for your leadership and for all of the faith community that has helped over these months and are stepping up in this moment.

As the mayor mentioned on Monday, as of May 31st, the city has spent about $1.2 billion on asylum seeker crisis, with only about $40 million in support from the federal government at that time. The mayor mentioned that while the city is working to meet the needs in managing the situation, the situation is not sustainable. We simply cannot keep shouldering the cost and bearing the responsibility of dealing with this crisis alone. It is a national crisis. We all know that. So we know that we need a national solution.

With all that being said, let me run through the numbers right now. Over the past week, 2,100 asylum seekers have arrived and come through our intake center. We have 47,200 people currently in our care and over 74,000 people have come through our intake center since last spring. We have opened up 162 emergency sites, and this includes nine large-scale humanitarian relief centers. In total the city has more than 96,600 people in our care, including people experiencing homelessness. Again let me say that, 96,600 people who we are caring for at this present time. As you can see, we are seeing about the same number of migrants entering the system over the past two weeks. Now let me turn it over to Pastor Monrose to say a few words.

Pastor Gilford Monrose, Faith Advisor, Office of the Mayor: Thank you so much, and thank you, Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom, and good afternoon to everyone. Earlier this week we were proud to unveil our faith-based shelter partnership, and through this program up to 50 houses of worship will be able to host nearly 1,000 asylum seekers in total overnight, and we'll have larger daytime centers available as well. While each house of worship will help support a small number of asylum seekers, up to 19 each, we can make a big dent together. In this moment of crisis we are partnering with our faith leaders to provide not only shelter, but community care and hope. This is the moment when faith leaders are stepping up and asking themselves, "What can I do to pair my faith with works to provide those with less?" We are proud to stand with our leaders and have taken that step. To any faith leader that has space that think it might be a good fit, we encourage you to visit nydis.org, that's N-Y-D-I-S.org, to read what we're looking for and to express your interest. We'll be in touch as we bring this program online.

Another option that we have been working with is called Adopt a Shelter, which is Love Thy Neighbor Program, which pairs shelters with local faith-based organizations for the purpose of providing resources to asylum seekers. For more information, please email us at cfcp@cityhall.nyc.gov. We are in the middle of a crisis and the beginning of a powerful partnership with our faith community. We need space and we need to use any space that will work, spaces that will help keep people off the streets and provide community care. And we are grateful to our faith leaders who are stepping up in this moment at NYDIS for the partnership on this initiative.

Faith has always taught us to care for strangers in our midst, to be gracious and kind. New York City is a city of migrants, as attested by the words of Emma Lazarus engraved on the inner pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. "Give me your tired, your poor, your humble masses yearning to be free." And so today I'm really grateful for faith leaders opening their doors to asylum seekers, providing their space and hand of community of care. Truly New York is a city of faith. Thank you.

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: Thank you so much, Pastor, and I was so touched on Monday by the press conference and the words of all of the faith community coming together and supporting us. I don't know you know this, but I am a DM with a DM. I have a doctorate in ministry that I got years ago, as we bring our whole selves to this work and do what you say to really care for those, especially those who are going through a difficult time. So thank you so much to you and the faith community for stepping up and to taking your faith beyond the walls of your church to those that are in the most need. Now I'd like to turn it over to Judge Raddick to tell us some new information about some of our legal strategy. And I think you have some new things to tell us this afternoon, so thank you so much, Judge Radix.

Sylvia Hinds-Radix, Corporation Counsel, Law Department: Good afternoon. Thank you, DM, and that's amazing.

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: Oh, you didn't know that?

Hinds-Radix: You're faith based, you've always handled this crisis with humanity and compassion, and it's evident from what you are doing. And so I'm very happy to be able to join you here this afternoon to speak about the law department's role. The Law Department has helped the city to respond to numerous crises throughout its history and we are proud to be called upon again to do our part to protect the city's interests during this unprecedented time. As has been conveyed in these briefings many times, the city has embarked on a herculean effort to provide temporary shelter to a large number of asylum seekers who have arrived in the city and continue to come here every day. The governor's executive order implemented in early May has made it clear that the crisis has become a statewide emergency and that it continues to grow.

As you are aware, the city is responding to the statewide emergency by utilizing hotel rooms outside its borders to provide temporary shelter for a small number of asylum seekers. The city is covering the cost of those hotels and is providing services to the individuals, a step specifically authorized by state law and regulation. Yet over the past weeks we have found ourselves consumed by litigation by some of these counties. Over 30 New York counties are trying to block our response to this statewide emergency by closing their borders through the issuance of executive orders. So today the City of New York is filing suit to stop them from continuing what we perceive to be an unlawful practice. These counties have implemented misguided and unlawful executive orders premised on false claims that the prospect of a few hundred asylum seekers sheltered at the city's expense across multiple counties constitute an emergency and imperil public safety.

The executive orders impose civil and criminal penalties on what the counties call foreign municipalities and local hotels for providing temporary shelter for asylum seekers. These executive orders burden and obstruct New York City's lawful and responsible effort to address an ongoing statewide emergency in a manner that is explicitly permitted by the law and required by statewide emergency. The orders conflict with numerous laws, including the New York State Social Service Law, the New York State Human Rights Law, and federal immigration law. Moreover, they violate the equal protection clause and the right to travel under the United States Constitution.

Yesterday in another suit brought by individual asylum seekers presented by the New York City Civil Liberties Union, a federal court preliminarily enjoined the executive orders of Rockland and Orange Counties. The court said the orders were unconstitutional and discriminatory. In the current case we are filing today, we believe that the court should follow suit and declare the remaining executive orders null and void. We believe the city has acted lawfully and that these localities cannot illegally wall off their borders during this statewide crisis. I thank you.

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: Thank you, Judge. Before I open up the floor to questions, I just want to reaffirm that New York City is clearly working to meet our obligations, but this effort is not sustainable. Our city is doing our part, and maybe I want to say even our city is doing more than our part, but we cannot do it without the federal government acting now. We are providing shelter and meals and other services, but people want to work. That is what they came here for, to be able to start their new life and to get connected on their journey to get resettled. We need work authorization for the asylum seekers and we need Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform. We can confront this crisis together if we allow people the opportunity to work and a path towards independence, slow down what's happening at the front door, make sure that we get support and legal services for people while they're here, and then resettle people as they work to care for themselves and their families. Thank you. Now we'll take some questions.

Question: Hi, yes, I have a question about that funding. You mentioned the $104 million from Jeffries and Senator Schumer. Can you detail where that money's coming from, how soon were you notified that that funding was coming, and is there any promise that future funding will be in the pipeline?

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: It's my understanding that that press release came out like 50 minutes ago and very soon, so you should have that information, Kelly. I think it's out of the second tranche of the FEMA money, is what my understanding is. And we are hoping, we're so thankful that it happened, but as you know, with us already spending $1.2 billion, we're going to continue to need support. And for me the most important thing also in addition to the funds is people being able to have their work authorization so that they can be on the pathway to their new lives.

Question: Hey Deputy Mayor, my question maybe is a bit of a semantic one. We have been using the word asylum seeker for a year now, and the last press conference you had, you said there were very few people who have applied for asylum. So what is the city doing, if anything, to get a bead on how many people coming in actually have the intent to apply for asylum and how many are here more for different reasons, maybe economic reasons? It seems like that's an important thing to get a bead on, and I'm wondering what the city is doing, can do to ascertain what that is.

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: I love that you're calling it, what can the city do to get a bead on it? And I think we've been, you are right, really focused on trying to make sure that people are not sleeping on the street and done a really great job of that. But at the same time turning to, how do we make sure that we're getting the information as folks are coming in in our intake center to where they're coming from, do they have a claim for asylum? Do they not? Are there other opportunities to get them connected to the services that may be and the benefits that may be available to them? I think that's the next big thing that we have to work on with our partners, is making sure that we get a handle. I think with over 40,000 people right now, everyone has different needs and different stories, but we ultimately feel like getting people TPS and work authorization helps, no matter how you come here, the ability to really streamline your ability to get the support that you need.

I think we're going to do a briefing eventually on legal strategies and some of this work as we're able to connect some more of the information. These folks have been paroled into the US by the CBC for asylum. But what we're saying is that how many people have applied for applications, it's different. And I think the more that we start to answer questions, the more answers that we will get. We would like to turn to that more instead of trying to open more HERRCs and open all of these centers. So I think you're pointing out really the right question, is, how do we now move from an emergency state to the state of getting 40-something thousand people resettled and getting them connected to work?

Question: Well, if they've been paroled in the US for asylum purposes but aren't applying for it, it would seem that puts into question what exactly is going on. It doesn't seem we have a clear answer as to…

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: I think you're asking the right question, which is why I think the 24-hour asylum center where we're able to get the information that we need so that we can get folks connected to the legal services and find out what are the benefits they are eligible for, what have they come here for? Many have left on their own, as you know. So I think that you're absolutely right that that's the next big question that we need to focus on.

Question: Deputy Mayor, you said it was 2,100 this week, or arrived in the past week?

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: This week, yeah, it was a very similar number.

Question: Last week was 2,200, and then we did see a big spike. I think it was 43,000 right before.

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: Yeah.

Question: And then 58,000 was the high.

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: Yep.

Question: Do you discern that this is going to be the regular level?

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: I love that you used the word discern. I don't think I can discern anything. He probably can discern as a pastor, I just have to look at the numbers.

Question: Based on, we had a few weeks ago Director Jiha saying, "Here's my model, here's where it could go off the rails."

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: Yeah.

Question: It doesn't seem like it's going off the rails. It seems like we're back to the curve, and I'm wondering, are you thinking that way? And are you thinking how will that impact things like use of gym facilities for emergency respite, the need perhaps to be expanding into even more counties upstate?

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: So I don't want to get it twisted. There's still a lot of people coming into our system and we still are in the middle of the crisis. We're getting used to saying these numbers, but 2,100 people, 4,300 people, 1,000 people are a lot of people coming into a system that already has 96,000 people in it. I think that if you're saying what will be the new steady state, I hope the new steady state is not 1,000 people and we all feel good about that, because that's not sustainable. We're going to continue to look at the numbers because the very essence of this is the unpredictability to really plan for what happens at any particular time, which is why you will see us use emergency shelters if there's an influx. If we don't have to use those emergency shelters, we won't. And I would be very happy not to open any more emergency shelters and to be able to really focus on the folks that are here with us now and focus on getting them resettled.

Question: Hi, Deputy Mayor. What's going on with JFK? Yesterday some of your colleagues were saying that you're still waiting on approval from the Port Authority. Governor Hochul earlier today said that the site's supposed to open imminently, but they're still waiting on approval. What has Port Authority told you guys? Where's the holdup and disconnect here?

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: I don't think there's a disconnect and I won't get into the particulars, but we are very excited that the state offered us that site. We think we're really going to need it. I think it's going to be an important site for us to be able to use as an emergency shelter, as I just spoke about. And I am hoping that the Governor's saying that it will be open imminent is what will happen, because we certainly do need it.

Question: They gave the approval already, what's going on?

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: There's about probably nine different things that we had to make sure that we had approval for. It wasn't just the FAA, and I think we're just working through that checklist.

Question: [Inaudible.]

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: I want to say I'm very happy that the state has given us the site and I think we're really going to need it.

Question: Hi, Deputy Mayor. Earlier this week Mayor Adams floated the idea of housing asylum seekers in private residences. I'm wondering if there are any formal plans or current formal planning to create some type of system or program where migrants are being housed in private residences.

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: So the pastor will tell you we have a lot of different ideas on the table, and everything is on the table right now. The idea of having my migrants in private residences has been something that we've talked about for a couple of months and we're looking into it, and as soon as we get more information about it, we'll share that with you. You're welcome.

Question: Just to follow up on that, we had heard that if it happens, obviously when it happens with religious centers that they're going to be paid $125 per room per night. What would be the going rate for a private citizen if they hosted someone?

Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom: I don't think we have that yet because we're still trying to develop the program and see what we could do and what would be possible. So as soon as we get that information, we'll let you know, okay?

Question: Related to the lawsuit, could you just speak about the challenges to the merits of their executive orders? And then are you asking for expedited judgment in this case? What are the details of the lawsuit that you filed, that the city has filed?

Hinds-Radix: Yes, we are requesting preliminary relief. Actually, one of the goals that we have, this suit is being filed in New York County. We have executive orders for some 31 counties upstate. So we intend to have it all consolidated down here where we can litigate. Right now we have five lawsuits in different counties plus these EOs, and the thing for us is that we want to ensure that if we get them here in one county, that we don't get different results from different judges. It makes sense to try to get a decision that is uniform and not different decisions from different counties.

Question: Have you asked for expedited judgment in this case so that there can be a judgment and you can get the result that you're looking for?

Hinds-Radix: Am I asking for…

Question: That the judge look…

Hinds-Radix: Well, we are certainly asking for immediate relief with reference to these executive orders.

Question: So in that lawsuit, does it rely at all on, as it stands now, the right to shelter law and the Callahan Consent Decree as far as municipalities outside of the city possibly being covered by that?

Hinds-Radix: Well, we are saying that they're covered, but this is not going to your Callahan Consent Decree. This is talking about the executive orders and the position that these counties are taking with reference to their ability to wall off where they are and not allow people to come here. They're using Executive Order 24, and that says that clearly there has to be a storm, a hurricane, or they're detailed pieces that have to occur for them to do this. And the fact that people are just coming to the county does not fall under this umbrella, in our view.

Question: Do you expect that to come up? Because from the city's perspective, the city's need to do this is to some degree based on the Callahan Decree, right? So if in this court battle it comes up, what are the various ways that…

Hinds-Radix: I don't think the city's need to do this is based on Callahan. The city's need to do this is based on the fact that we are impacted by everybody sending people here into the city. And at some point we are, and we filed litigation in Callahan. That is different from what we have done today.

Question: Do you expect New York State, the governor, to be a party in this suit? And also how does this lawsuit, I guess, work with, work against the two pending lawsuits that Rockland and Orange have both filed? Because yesterday the federal suit that said it doesn't have to do anything with those ones, and that's based off of municipal law, right? So how does that?

Hinds-Radix: Great question. Because you're aware of the fact too that they have TROs, right? They have TROs against us. So what happened yesterday does not affect that. We still have those, but we are also hoping to do a consolidation and bring those in at some point, we're filing probably within the next day or so, we're going to file some motion papers that bring those suits here also so that we can deal with this in one bundle.

Question: [Inaudible] to have the suits here in a Manhattan judge as opposed to a Hudson Valley judge?

Hinds-Radix: I'm sorry?

Question: Is part of that venue shopping? Are you happier to be here in New York County rather than some upstate county where perhaps the judge would have a different sensibility?

Hinds-Radix: No. You said venue shopping. If we were saying we're going to New York County, we'd want you to put us before Judge Jay. We're not saying that. We're just saying, "Give us a judge in New York County." Every judge does not have the same disposition. We just don't want to have to go to 31 different counties to work. It doesn't make sense, and judicially and towards the end, the determination to have it from one judge makes a lot of sense not just for the city but for the state.

Question: From what I'm reading here, this is based on, you guys are using the governor's statewide emergency and the executive order. So will the state be a party to this lawsuit?

Hinds-Radix: Well, we've been having discussions with the governor's office and our partners, and we tell them where we are going. Whether the state is going to be a part of that is not something that's in our control.