About the Office of Asylum Seeker Operations

About the Office of Asylum Seeker Operations

The NYC Office of Asylum Seeker Operations (OASO) manages and coordinates the city’s response to the influx of asylum seekers arriving in New York City. Created in March 2023, OASO is primarily responsible for overseeing and coordinating all services for asylum seekers and managing the city’s advocacy with the state and federal governments as well as external stakeholders, non-profits, and the business community.

Learn more about OASO and the city’s efforts to support asylum seekers in the City’s Blueprint to Address New York City’s Response to the Asylum Seeker Crisis.

Meet the Executive Director

Molly Schaeffer was appointed the Executive Director of the Office of Asylum Seeker Operations (OASO) in May 2023. She has been involved in the migrant response since it began, leading the city’s humanitarian efforts that have supported more than 237,000 migrants in just over two years. As the director, she is responsible for the day-to-day operations of OASO, coordinating the city’s response with over 20 city agencies, New York State, and federal partners. In addition, she is responsible for advising the mayor and senior leadership on emerging migrant issues and working with multiple agencies to maximize response and formulate practical policy solutions for a wide array of complex issues.

Molly has over 12 years of experience in New York City government, dedicated to supporting low-income and vulnerable communities. Prior to this position, she served in multiple roles at City Hall, including as Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Emergency Advisor to two mayors. Molly brings more than a decade of experience in emergency management, public safety, and health and human services. She began her career in city government, in the Chancellor’s Office at NYC Public Schools, and then as an Advisor at NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Molly is a devoted public servant and crisis management expert who has worked on a diverse set of issues and responses, from developing policies for the Ebola outbreak in schools to shepherding crisis management programs that help those with mental illness. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Schaeffer managed workforce policies, including PPE management, vaccine mandates, and returning workers to the office.

Molly is a graduate of the University of Southern California and a lifelong New Yorker. She was named 40 Under 40 for Crains NY Business 2024. She completed the Executive Leaders Program at the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security in 2023. She is currently a 92NY Women in Power Fellow and a Carnegie Council Ethics Fellow.