The city is spreading a new message to asylum seekers who may be thinking about heading to New York City: don't do it.
That message is the theme of a flyer which City Hall has shared with community organizations and the federal government as well. They also plan to distribute the flyers at migrant shelters in the city.
"There are people in our shelters who are telling their family members come to New York City and that they'll get housing and that they'll be able to stay with them," NYC Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom said.
Among the flyer's claims: New York City resources have been exhausted and the city "cannot help you obtain a work permit" — which may be stretching facts.
"We have to be truthful about the challenges that New York City faces in providing adequate services for such a high number of migrant without embellishing anything," NYC City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said.
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.
Adams said it’s one thing for the city to shift its tone from last year when the mayor greeted asylum seekers with open arms — "We got you. We are gonna provide the services you need" — to this month, when the mayor said of the unending pace of more than 100,000 arrivals: "This issue will destroy New York City."
News
The council speaker said city outreach teams are helping connect migrants to housing opportunities and jobs when possible.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said the White House has teamed up with the city and state to process the estimated 15,000 job seekers who arrived from Venezuela before July 31 and will get temporary protected status. The governor's worry? A federal shutdown could undo that progress.
"It's going to stop our ability to get people out of the shelters, which is exactly what Biden was trying to do," Hochul said on CNN.
Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom said the crisis is only escalating, with an uptick in arrivals this week and signs that volume may soon increase.
"We got word the city of El Paso will resume busing. On top of the buses already being sent here by Gov. Abbott and the state of Texas," the deputy mayor said.
