Two New Humanitarian Relief Centers to Open as Brooklyn Cruise Terminal Closes as Scheduled
New York City Continues to Handle Unprecedented Crisis Almost Entirely on Its Own
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the city will soon open two additional Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers as the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal location transitions back to normal operations ahead of cruise season as always planned. The two new humanitarian relief centers — located at 220 West 42nd Street in Manhattan and 455 Jefferson Street in Brooklyn — will serve single adult men moving from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, in addition to other newly arriving adult men, as space permits. Asylum seekers at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal will be provided bus transportation to the new sites at the end of March. As the estimated number of asylum seekers who have arrived in the city since last spring surpasses 51,000, these sites together will serve up to approximately 1,200 asylum seekers in a congregate, fully indoor setting and will offer the same services adult men have been receiving at other humanitarian relief centers, including reconnections. As previously planned, the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal will close as a humanitarian relief center at the end of March 2023 and resume its normal operations ahead of cruise season this spring.
“With more than 51,000 asylum seekers arriving here since last spring and over 31,000 asylum seekers currently in our care, New York City continues to call for a national strategy to handle this humanitarian crisis,” said Mayor Adams. “We continue to do more than any other city in the nation, but as the number of asylum seekers continues to grow, we are in serious need of support from both our state and federal governments. The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal will resume its normal operations as always planned, so these two new Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers will provide up to approximately 1,200 single men seeking asylum with a place to stay, access support, and get to their final destinations.”
“These new sites will enable single men to seek services in a sustainable way, as the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal resumes regular operations,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “We will continue to serve each individual, family, and child seeking asylum with dignity, respect, and care. Thank you to our partners at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal and to our partners at these new sites that will welcome our newest neighbors.” “We have responded to the changing needs of this crisis at every turn to make sure each asylum seeker is cared for,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks IlI. “New York City is doing its part in providing critical support at these centers.”
“These new sites continue our mission of helping asylum seekers feel welcome, get back on their feet, and complete their journeys,” said Ted Long, MD, MHS, senior vice president, Ambulatory Care and Population Health, NYC Health + Hospitals. “We know the arduous journey asylum seekers have experienced getting here, and we know that in New York City, our humanitarian centers offer the services and connections to help them take their next step forward. I am proud be a part of the Adams administration’s efforts to help asylum seekers find a better life.” “New York City continues to receive and welcome an unprecedented number of asylum seekers. Our interagency team continues to demonstrate the flexibility, forward-thinking, and innovation needed to meet this challenge and help people arriving in New York City seeking asylum and a better life,” said New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol. “These two new Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers will provide single men the services needed to navigate the challenges of rebuilding their lives.”
Since this humanitarian crisis began, the city has taken fast and urgent action, managing the arrival of a rapidly increasing number of buses across New York City with virtually no coordination from states sending them — already opening 96 emergency shelters and several other large-scale humanitarian relief centers, standing up navigation centers to connect asylum seekers with critical resources, enrolling children in public schools through Project Open Arms, and more. The city also recently released “The Road Forward: A Blueprint to Address New York City’s Response to the Asylum Seeker Crisis,” detailing how the city will continue to manage the influx of asylum seekers and advocate for support from federal and state partners.
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