Statement from Comptroller Lander on 60-Day Limit for Asylum Seeker Families with Children Shelter Stays

 

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander released the following statement on limiting shelter stays for asylum seeking families with children to sixty days.

“Thousands of children are just settling into the safety and stability of new schools, establishing routines and making new friends after months of hardship and trauma. Forcing them to leave and reapply for shelter after 60 days will only mean more disruption, anxiety, and homelessness as winter approaches.

“City Hall’s decision to impose a time limit on shelter and place children in congregate settings violates the court-affirmed rights of families. Denying families with children the stability of a private room and curtailing their shelter stay is a short-sighted, cruel step that will endanger the physical and mental wellbeing of children, exacerbate trauma, and leave many families on the streets.”