Catherine Gonzalez, Supervising Attorney and Policy Counsel in the Padilla Unit of the Criminal Defense practice testified before the NYC Council Committees on Immigration and General Welfare, underscoring how the implementation of recent asylum stay rules destabilizes families, disrupts legal cases, and hinders access to housing and employment, exacerbating existing inequities. BDS called for the elimination of shelter stay limits and equitable access to housing subsidies to support immigrant New Yorkers in achieving stability.

"Limited shelter is destabilizing for people and individuals and families constantly moving often complicates our advocacy. BDS client Lucy who is originally from West Africa and speaks French, lives in a shelter with her niece and 5 children. Despite being in a family unit, Lucy has been issued both 30- and 60-day stay limit notices. We continue to inquire but at this time have not been able to obtain any additional information about this change. Lucy also shared with our staff facing a lot of issues at the shelters. Lucy reports experiencing segregation between Latin American and African immigrants at the shelters and facing discrimination and mistreatment by staff at various shelters. Lucy has shared details of the chaotic environment at the different shelters she’s been transferred to. Lucy has also shared issues regarding food insecurity. More than once, she has gone without meals to ensure there is enough food for her children and niece. She shared how after each shelter transfer, she has sought churches near the shelter and often makes the line for church pantry access. Lucy’s BDS social worker reports that Lucy has not been connected to any case managers at any of the shelters she’s been transferred to over the past year.

Shelter stay limits and transfers affect almost every aspect of people’s lives. One of the most concerning has been the impact of transfers on access to education for our clients’ children. Multiple BDS clients have reported needing to transfer their children to new schools after a shelter eviction."

Read the full testimony here.