New York’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Manuel Castro, far left, Health and Hospital Vice President Dr. Ted Long, second from left, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom, second from right, and Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol, far right, hold a news briefing in the sleeping area of the city’s latest temporary shelter on Randalls Island, Oct. 18, 2022, in New York. New York Mayor Eric Adams announced a plan Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, to house as many as 2,000 migrants on Randalls Island, in the East River, where a migrant center was set up in 2022 and then taken down weeks later. Photo: Bebeto Matthews/AP
Commissioner Manuel Castro of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) announced the creation of the Asylum Seeker Legal Assistance Network (ASLAN) on Thursday.
This $5 million initiative seeks to bolster community-based legal support for newly arrived asylum seekers, furthering New York City’s dedication as a sanctuary for migrants. The launch fills a void left by the absence of a cohesive national strategy on asylum, and complements the $65 million already earmarked by the city for immigrant legal services.
“New York City continues to be a national leader when responding to this global humanitarian crisis and supporting newly arrived migrants,” said Manuel Castro, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “Today, I am proud to announce the network composed of on-the-ground partners across the City that will work to continue to support our newest New Yorkers. While we wait for a national strategy, our administration will remain committed to being a city of immigrants.”
Asylum seekers are individuals who leave their home countries in search of protection from severe threats, often involving extreme violence, persecution, or life-threatening circumstances. Their decisions to migrate are typically out of sheer necessity, aiming to escape immediate harm and to secure a…
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