New York’s legal and shelter system are overloaded and unprepared to serve newly-arrived migrants and asylum–seekers. Jodi Ziesemer, director of NYLAG’s Immigrant Protection Unit testified on September 30, 2022 before the NYC Council Committee on Immigration, advocating for stronger resources and services for newly-arrived asylum seekers. Ziesemer argued for a greater investment of resources into immigration attorneys across the city, pro se application assistance clinics, and non-profit legal service organizations facing a crisis with recruitment, training, and space for new attorneys.

NY Times: Migrants Protest Move From Midtown Hotel to Barracks-Style Shelter
NYLAG’s Deborah Berkman, supervising attorney in our Shelter Advocacy Initiative, spoke to the New York Times about the immense barriers recent asylum-seekers face in finding housing in New York City.