Federal funding toward the city’s migrant crisis could soon be flowing again.

Senator Charles Schumer announced on Thursday his office helped the city finally unlock federal funding for thousands of migrants in the city.

City officials have been trying to access a remaining $107 million in funding for months.

“After we submitted additional paperwork last week, the federal government has indicated that they will remove the hold on these previously allocated funds,” Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom said.

What You Need To Know

  • Senator Chuck Schumer announced he helped unlock million in federal migrant funding for the city on Thursday

  • The city has been in a deadlock with federal officials over $107 million in allocated funds. City officials said the paperwork and requirements to access the funds were too difficult

  • The city has spent more than $4 billion on housing and feeding thousands of migrants

  • The announcement allows the city to start the reimbursement process for shelter and services provided to migrants

Schumer’s office said a team from the Federal Emergency Management Agency was sent to the city to help finalize the necessary paperwork to access the funds.

The city was allocated $156 million in federal funds, but had only received $49 million. The initial funds were an advance.

“It’s important to keep this in perspective, though. We have spent more than $4 billion to manage this national humanitarian crisis. So, we will continue to advocate for significantly more support, as well for comprehensive immigration reform,” Williams-Isom said.

City Hall said it submitted a detailed budget and waiver for hotel costs last Friday that triggered the change.

As part of Thursday’s announcement, Schumer’s office said the city will now be able to get reimbursed hotel costs at 15% instead of the previous 10%.

Previously, city officials had complained that the requirements to access the funds were too difficult.

“For instance, they require that we provide the alien numbers, things that we did not collect initially. Only $12.50, I believe, can go toward paying for a hotel. It’s a number of challenges,” Budget Director Jacques Jiha said earlier this month.

With the funds unlocked, city officials said they can now begin the process of submitting costs for reimbursement.

The city can only be reimbursed for costs associated with sheltering and providing services to migrants.

The city has already spent more than $4 billion on the migrants crisis. Earlier this week, Mayor Eric Adams blamed the federal government for the delay.

“We know how to fill out paperwork. Lets not insult this administration as though you guys don’t know how to fill out paperwork. We know what we’re doing in that area. They need to look out how to modify the paperwork, the requirements, the reimbursement to make it fairer and to understand the moments of this cirsis that we're faced with,” Adams said on Tuesday at his weekly briefing.

“They need to look at how they modify the paperwork, the requirements, the reimbursements to make it fairer and to understand the moment of this crisis,” he added.

As of this week, more than 182,000 migrants have come to the city, with more than 64,000 in the city’s care. In addition, the city has opened 218 emergency shelter sites.