New York City is planning to open an asylum application center in the coming weeks to help migrants formally apply for asylum — a necessary step in securing permits to work legally in the U.S.
Mayor Eric Adams announced the plan to open the new help center Tuesday morning — weeks after elected officials and homeless services providers criticized him for not doing enough to help the thousands of migrants who’ve streamed into the city in recent months with navigating the asylum application process.
“The Asylum Application Help Center will assist the asylum seekers in New York City through the complex federal immigration process, bringing them one step closer to being eligible for work authorization and the ability to support themselves,” Adams said in a written statement put out by press release Tuesday morning. “We must act swiftly to ensure the well-being of the thousands of migrants whose deadline to submit an asylum application is fast approaching, and this center will help us do that.”
