“News that Mayor Adams plans to evict families from shelter after 60 days is deeply alarming and flies in the face of our city’s longstanding commitment to provide shelter to all who need it.  It is especially cruel and inhumane to do this as cold weather approaches.   There is another way to respond to the current humanitarian crisis: working together with all levels of government and community-based organizations to assist both newcomers and others in need to exit the shelter system, find jobs and affordable housing, and get back on their feet.   The resources currently being dedicated to this effort can be spent much more efficiently and effectively on both emergency aid and long-term solutions, and we join in the call for additional support, especially from our federal government.

“1199SEIU vehemently opposes attempts to blame migrants for our city’s social and economic problems—stoking xenophobia against families who have fled violence and persecution abroad and, like all of us, want mothing more than to support their families.  In fact, migrants can and will be an economic boon in an era of workforce shortages, including in healthcare.  As a fundamental human rights issue, we call on Mayor Adams to immediately withdraw this inhumane proposal.”