Migrants living in the city’s shelter system are facing a looming deadline.

“Everyone deserves to stay where they are, to have rights,” said 10-year-old Reid Cirrito, who has become friends with migrant students at his school.


What You Need To Know

  • Migrants without homes were limited to 60 days in city housing under an order issued in October by Mayor Eric Adams, a move Adams says is necessary
  • The city plans to move families who received the 60-day notice in early January
  • The city has a “right to shelter” law that requires the city to provide emergency housing to anyone who asks
  • According to the city, more than 100,000 migrants have arrived in the five boroughs this year — and a total of 150,000 have since last spring

Cirrito is urging the city to do away with its 60-day shelter limit for migrants.

“They deserve better than just being moved around and being told what to do,” Cirrito said.

The student joined dozens of immigrant rights activists, elected leaders and teachers outside City Hall Tuesday, urging Mayor Eric Adams to stop his so-called “assault” on the city’s “right to shelter” mandate.

“With this 60-day shelter rule, it really throws everything off. It makes teachers afraid that their students aren’t gonna come back the next day,” said Mariana Winnik, a teacher at Spruce Street School in Manhattan.

Unhoused migrants and their children are limited to 60 days in city housing under an order issued in October by Adams. The city plans to move families who received the 60-day notice in early January.

“Stability is so important for these kids,” Winnik said. “They come to school so happy and we are so happy to have them, but when we don’t know what’s going to happen and we don’t know if these families are safe, then they don’t feel safe and they don’t come back to school.”

New York has a “right to shelter” law that requires the city to provide emergency housing to anyone who asks. But officials have warned migrants that there is no guarantee they will get to stay in the same hotel, shelter or even borough after the deadline.

“These families are beginning their American journey. They’re beginning their New York City journey,” Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said. “We want to make sure we’re doing it as humanely as possible. So I’m hoping the mayor sits down with us to figure out how best we can do that.”

Advocates are concerned for the well-being of young migrants who have seen their lives uprooted. To that end, advocates are urging the city to eliminate the shelter notices for families.

“If you take kids, make them make new friends, make them have a new life every 60 days or two months, it wouldn’t make anyone feel better and I think they deserve way more than what they have,” Cirrito said.

According to the city, more than 100,000 migrants have arrived in the five boroughs this year — and a total of 150,000 have since last spring.