New York City struggles to house migrants amid cold temperatures

MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- An increasing number of migrants are spending their evenings out on the streets even as temperatures plummet.

The city says the federal government has asked the city what it is going to do about the situation even while refusing to give New York the desperately needed resources it has been asking for to handle the migrant crisis.

“We have a lot of people sleeping on the floor on the night it's so cold, no food no nothing,” said Al Moustapha, one of several migrants who have spent time camped on the sidewalk in front of the old St. Brigid School.

The school is where migrants are told to go for further assistance if they have not found someplace else to settle once their 30 days in city shelter are up.

The city has said for some time, that it's simply running out of room and resources, so more migrants will need to begin making their own way. However, at a time when temperatures are plummeting, PIX11 News pressed Mayor Adams Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack about this all happening at this moment.

She said the city is doing what it can for the rough 20% of migrants that come down to St. Brigid to request additional time in shelter.

“Some of them come early before the center opens, and that's why you see a bit of a line,” Varlack said. “But they're allowed to go outside and sit inside where it's warm while they have conversations about re-ticketing.”

She said the flow of migrants continues with 2,700 having arrived last week and 65,000 still actively being cared for by the city.

Varlack revealed to us there has been little additional help offered by the federal government to deal with the migrant crisis— even as the Federal Emergency Management Agency expressed concern about the cold weather.

“We received some questions from FEMA yesterday actually asking us what is our plan with respect to the cold Weather,” Varlack said. “Do we have clothing? What is a long-term plan if there is a surge in Spring? Again, it’s just the wrong tone. This is a national crisis New York City should not be carrying on our backs.”