New York, NY—Today, Mayor Eric Adams announced the closure of the Asylum Application Help Center by the end of June 2025. The Asylum Application Help Center was launched in 2023, at the former American Red Cross offices, to assist immigrants who had recently arrived in New York City submit their asylum and work authorization applications.
Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition:
“Recent arrivals to New York City must be welcomed and supported as they set up their lives here. The Asylum Application Help Center, while not perfect, proved to be a useful central hub to put people on the track to integration and belonging in New York City. But today’s announcement from the Adams administration underscores its shortsightedness and continued reluctance to support our newest immigrant neighbors. While New York State put $4.3 billion towards assisting recent arrivals in the State budget over the last two years, the Adams administration only tapped $1.6 billion of that funding – failing to access all the resources that were made available. It is convenient for Adams to blame everyone else for the City’s budget issues, but his own fiscal mismanagement is the real problem. New York City needs its Mayor to stand up for all New Yorkers, and enact the policies that will allow all people to not just survive, but thrive.”