Since the spring of 2022, New York City has taken in over 223,000 migrants and asylum seekers, a number comparable to the population of Albany, the state capital.

Currently, approximately 58,000 migrants are housed in taxpayer-funded shelters, with the city operating around 210 shelter sites across its five boroughs.

However, the city is facing significant financial challenges, with projected costs related to migrant support estimated to reach $12 billion over the next three fiscal years if no policy changes occur.

In response to the changing landscape, New York City plans to close 12 migrant shelters by the end of December 2024, just weeks before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.

City officials attribute these shelter closures to a decline in the number of migrants arriving in New York, crediting recent federal government actions for this reduction.

The planned closures include two hotel shelters, specifically the Hotel Merit in Manhattan and the Quality Inn JFK in Queens, along with ten additional shelters across various counties.

As the city prepares for these changes, concerns have emerged that migrants may rush to cross the border before Trump's stricter immigration policies take effect, with a caravan of about 1,500 migrants already forming in southern Mexico.

Trump has pledged to implement stringent border security measures, which includes appointing hardliners to key positions within the Department of Homeland Security.

Interestingly, in September 2024, encounters at the US-Mexico border dropped to 101,790, marking the lowest figure since February 2021.

Despite these challenges, Mayor Eric Adams has emphasized that the city has provided substantial support to migrants while also saving taxpayers billions of dollars.

Activists have protested against the city's eviction policy for adult migrants, calling it cruel and a violation of the right to shelter.

To mitigate the impact of evictions, migrant families receiving a second eviction notice are allowed to stay in their current shelters longer, which helps children remain in the same public schools and reduces transportation costs.