Mayor Adams Announces Placement of new Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center

January 21, 2023

Brooklyn Cruise Terminal Will Open in Coming Weeks to Assist Single Adult Men Seeking Asylum

New York City Continues to Handle Unprecedented Crisis Almost Entirely on Its Own

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the city will soon open a fifth Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal to temporarily serve the continued influx of asylum seekers arriving in New York City. As the estimated number of asylum seekers that have arrived in the city since last spring surpasses at least 41,000, this humanitarian relief center will assist single adult men and provide them with a range of services, in addition to ensuring they can reach their desired destination, if not New York City, until it closes ahead of cruise season this spring. The humanitarian relief center at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal will serve single adult men who will move from the Watson Hotel humanitarian relief center, in addition to other newly arriving adult men, as space permits. Once open, this site will serve approximately 1,000 asylum seekers and will offer the same services as adult men have been receiving at humanitarian relief centers, including on site medical, food, laundry, and reconnections. The Watson Hotel humanitarian relief center will transition to serve arriving families with children seeking asylum.

“With more than 41,000 asylum seekers arriving in New York City since last spring and nearly 28,000 asylum seekers currently in our care, our city is at its breaking point,” said Mayor Adams. “We continue to surpass both our moral and legal obligations and meet the needs of people arriving in New York, but as the number of asylum seekers continues to grow, we are in serious need of support from both our state and federal governments. This fifth Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center will provide approximately 1,000 asylum seekers with a place to stay, access support, and get to their final destination.”

“We are and will continue to meet our obligations and serve all people seeking asylum with dignity and care,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “Thank you to our team for compassionately executing this work at each of our sites across the city.” “Our strategy from day one has been to continuously reassess our response to this crisis and find creative solutions to care for asylum seekers upon their arrival here,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks III. “As the numbers and demographics shift, so does our approach. What remains is our focus on addressing their needs, providing them with critical services, and ensuring a foundation is there for them to begin building their new lives.”

“As the demands of this humanitarian crisis evolve, New York City remains unwavering in our commitment to help those seeking asylum in our country,” said Ted Long, MD, MHS, senior vice president, Ambulatory Care and Population Health, NYC Health + Hospitals. “New York City has been a beacon of hope for generations of immigrants and is rising again to meet the moment. I am proud to support the unprecedented Adams administration response.”

“New York City will always remain a beacon of hope for those seeking a better life,” said New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol. “The Humanitarian Emergency Relief and Response Center at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal will aid asylum seekers as they transition into American society. Our team will continue to work with our partners to find alternative ways to support this humanitarian crisis.”

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 — opening 77 hotels as emergency shelters and four other humanitarian relief centers already, standing up navigation centers to connect asylum seekers with critical resources, enrolling children in public schools through Project Open Arms, and more.

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