Parents, advocates, and elected officials rallied on Monday morning, calling for more support and funding for students who are part of families seeking asylum.  

The Department of Education announced that they’re giving an additional $12 million to schools to help out. Schools with six or more students in temporary housing will receive $2,000 per student, but officials say that isn’t enough for the estimated 5,500 new students from asylum-seeking families. 

“For every classroom that they enter, we must assure them that they will be healed of their trauma,” said Councilmember Shahana Hanif. “We need full-time bilingual educators, we need full-time bilingual guidance counselors and social workers.” 

City Comptroller Brad Lander sent a letter to Schools Chancellor David Banks Monday, asking for transparency regarding the number of new migrant students, what schools they are in, and that the city meet the basic funding needs, which Lander estimates to be $34 million. 

“We are not only doing this out of compassion,” said the comptroller. “We are doing this because that’s how we create the New York City of tomorrow, it is our good fortune as well as our obligation.” 

Advocates and parents are calling for more long-term solutions to help these students thrive and prosper.