On August 24, 2023, in a formal request, Governor Kathy Hochul called on President Biden to take executive action and direct additional federal resources to New York State as it manages an unprecedented influx asylum seekers arriving in New York. Governor Hochul outlined specific requests, including:
- expedited work authorizations for asylum seekers,
- financial assistance for New York City and New York State to offset costs associated with protection of public health, transportation, shelter and housing, and education,
- use of federal land and facilities for temporary shelter sites, and
- Title 32 designation to provide federal funding for the roughly 1,950 New York National Guard members currently providing logistical and operational support across the State.
Governor Hochul also directed the NYS Department of Labor (DOL) to assist with connecting asylum seekers to employment opportunities to accelerate their employment immediately after obtaining federal work authorization. All asylum seekers with work authorization in New York can now register for assistance here. The DOL has launched a portal which enables businesses to notify the State that they seek to offer employment to newly-authorized individuals.
