Originally published September 25, 2023 11:21 am PDT
In response to the escalating migrant situation in New York, Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, has invoked the aid of the National Guard.
Governor Hochul has fortified New York State’s efforts to assist asylum seekers by deploying an additional 150 members of the National Guard, bringing the total number of National Guard personnel working on the crisis to 2,050.
“It is critical that we help secure work authorization for asylum seekers and migrants in New York,” Hochul asserted in a press release, emphasizing the necessity to guide individuals through the paperwork to “get them established here so they can work and start making their American Dream a reality.”
The recent deployment signifies an expansion of the state’s commitment to alleviate the ongoing asylum seeker and migrant crisis, with 250 National Guard personnel now assigned full-time to case management services.
Gov. Hochul highlighted the crucial role of the National Guard members, stating, “Our National Guard members play a huge role in assisting in the process and we are grateful for their service.”
The increased deployment focuses on addressing the needs at asylum seeker sites primarily located in New York City.
In tandem with the $50 million state investment already allocated to case management services, the deployment is poised to streamline the procedural aspects for migrants and asylum seekers, enabling them to establish their legal work statuses more efficiently, according to the press release.
The National Guard personnel are operating across the state, with their presence reported in 51 hotels and two New York City Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers, providing both logistical and operational support to asylum seekers statewide.
Furthermore, Gov. Hochul’s directive includes provisions for additional state resources to aid Venezuelans and other asylum seekers in submitting the requisite paperwork to expedite the attainment of legal work status.
New York is currently in the middle of a “Month of Action,” with over 50 personnel from the federal Department of Homeland Security deployed in the state to process work authorization paperwork.
Hochul reiterated the importance of these measures, saying, “We need to ensure individuals can navigate the paperwork necessary to get them established here so they can work and start making their American Dream a reality.”
The move comes as New York City grapples with the arrival of over 116,000 migrants from the southern border since the previous year.
