Advocates rally at City Hall for immigrant plan, funding

Immigrant advocates took to the steps of City Hall Friday to express their frustrations over what they believe is a lack of funding for asylum seekers.
There has already been plenty of controversy surrounding the building of a new migrant shelter at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook. That includes flooding concerns and the city’s ability to provide adequate housing for migrants.
Now, there is even more frustration after several community organizers said Mayor Eric Adams barely mentioned asylum seekers and migrants in his State of the City address.
In that address, Adams announced a record-breaking preliminary budget of $102.7 billion for New York City, but projected no increase in the amount needed to house and care for migrants.
A summary of last year's budget shows that influx cost the city $1 billion and that number is only expected to grow.
Adams also talked about his future plans for the city — improving housing and restoring the city’s economy. However, organizations like the New York Immigration Coalition, said an immigrant plan and funding to help them fully integrate was missing.
Immigrant advocates said they hope that by the end of June, when that final budget comes out, Adams decides to invest more in solutions that they call common sense.