NYC migrant crisis transforms shuttered Harlem jail, JFK warehouse into shelter options
New York City is struggling to accommodate the influx of asylum seekers arriving on its shores. Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s offices are scrambling to prepare new emergency shelters at an old Harlem jail and an airport warehouse. The city is currently housing roughly 45,800 asylum seekers, which is half of the city’s total shelter population, and they are spread between 170 emergency sites throughout the five boroughs. The eight-story Lincoln Correctional Facility on West 110th Street in Manhattan opened for single adult men on Thursday and can accommodate about 500 people. In addition to the Lincoln Correctional Facility, Mayor Adams’ administration is awaiting federal approval to open a warehouse at John F. Kennedy International Airport that has reportedly been stocked with about 500 cots.
The ongoing struggle to house the new arrivals has raised concerns among residents in Harlem, with some calling for better legal services for the migrants. However, the response has been mixed, with some locals offering takeout boxes of snacks to the migrants waiting outside the new shelter. Not all residents were as open to the idea of the Lincoln Correctional Facility shelter, with some expressing concerns about the all-male population. The issue of housing migrants has become a major problem not just in New York but across the state. Hochul said Friday that some counties were more “generous and… welcoming” than others and called on the state to embrace and support the new arrivals.
FAQs
What is the current situation in New York City regarding asylum seekers?
New York City is struggling to accommodate the influx of asylum seekers arriving on its shores. Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s offices are scrambling to prepare new emergency shelters at an old Harlem jail and an airport warehouse.
How many asylum seekers are currently being housed in New York City?
The city is currently housing roughly 45,800 asylum seekers, which is half of the city’s total shelter population, and they are spread between 170 emergency sites throughout the five boroughs.
What is the eight-story Lincoln Correctional Facility being used for?
The eight-story Lincoln Correctional Facility on West 110th Street in Manhattan opened for single adult men on Thursday and can accommodate about 500 people.
What other emergency shelter is Mayor Adams’ administration looking to open?
In addition to the Lincoln Correctional Facility, Mayor Adams’ administration is awaiting federal approval to open a warehouse at John F. Kennedy International Airport that has reportedly been stocked with about 500 cots.
What are some concerns raised by residents in Harlem regarding the new shelter?
Some residents in Harlem have expressed concerns about the all-male population and are calling for better legal services for the migrants.
What is the current situation across the state of New York?
The issue of housing migrants has become a major problem not just in New York City but across the state. Hochul said Friday that some counties were more “generous and… welcoming” than others and called on the state to embrace and support the new arrivals.
The Migration Emergency in NYC Makes Unused Harlem Jail and JFK Warehouse a Choice for Shelters
The continuous flow of migrants flocking to New York City in search of refuge has caused both Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul’s offices to race to prepare new emergency shelters at an old Harlem jail and an airport warehouse. The city is already bursting at the seams, housing around 45,800 asylum seekers – or half of the city’s entire shelter population – at 170 different emergency sites scattered throughout the five boroughs, according to City Hall data. On Thursday, the eight-story Lincoln Correctional Facility on West 110th Street in Manhattan opened its doors for single adult men who are seeking asylum but aren’t accompanied by their families. The facility can take in around 500 individuals. Eyewitness News reported that city officials confirmed that there were no longer cells inside the prison, which was closed by former Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2019.
Mayor Adam’s administration is also awaiting approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to open a warehouse at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Equipped with approximately 500 cots, the warehouse will securely host asylum-seekers once the green light is given. According to an internal call between City Hall and City Council on Friday morning, the warehouse has the capacity to accommodate up to 1,000 people. “We are working with one of the airport hangars at JFK to create a large space there. So we’re focused on people having access to housing closer to the services and the community that they’ve already come with,” Governor Hochul confirmed at a press conference.
Desperate lawmakers are also rumored to be considering the iconic Flatiron Building as a migrant shelter, as well as discussing potential tent encampments in Central Park. On Friday afternoon, a bus full of new arrivals pulled up in front of the Lincoln Correctional Facility while people waited outside to be processed for admission. Handfuls of bread rolls littered the pavement near the entrance, and the people staying in the shelter were given red lanyards. Most of the new arrivals processed downtown at the Roosevelt Hotel. The majority of the migrants went inside the shelter to escape the sweltering 90-degree heat, whilst some set up outside the park opposite the building to smoke marijuana.
New arrival Ruilber Ferrer is grateful to have a roof over his head after a difficult journey from Venezuela. He told Eyewitness News that he was pleased to be in the US, even though he had to leave behind his 3-year-old daughter, adding that he dreams of owning a barbershop and providing his family with a better life. However, not all Harlem residents were receptive to the idea of the Lincoln Correctional Facility shelter. Jose, 65, told The Post that he felt Adams was neglecting the city’s homeless population. He noted that around 50 migrants lined up outside the shelter the night before, with 15 police officers on the block, and estimated that another 25 showed up on Friday morning.
The news of New York’s continuing struggle to house the new arrivals comes as other regions of the state attempt to prevent the crisis from encroaching on their area. On Friday afternoon, Rockland County executive Ed Day released a statement stating that a judge approved the extension of the county’s temporary restraining order against the city’s shelter program. “This extension continues to prohibit the City from transforming hotels and motels in the County of Rockland into shelters,” he said. “Additionally, the Judge strictly ordered that the Armoni Inn & Suites can only operate as a hotel for normal business, as it had in the past and cannot operate as a shelter as they intended.”
Despite the struggles, Governor Hochul remains optimistic about the situation, hoping that the state will be more “generous and…welcoming.” “And we have some counties that are in that vein, and I’m really proud of them, and others that are not so much,” she acknowledged. “It could be a great opportunity for us to embrace people, help them get the work permits, which is my top priority.” Governor Hochul wants to help expedite work permits, and guarantee that the farms, hotels and restaurants will have the workforce they’ve been searching for. “It’s a chance for New York to show who we really are.”