Struggle to shelter migrants continues as Title 42 set to expire soon

According to a Brooklyn hotel employee, one of Brooklyn's most hip hotels has served as a place to shelter those seeking asylum for the past few months.

News 12 Staff

May 8, 2023, 9:46 PM

Updated 592 days ago

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The ongoing effort to house migrants in New York City continues as the influx of migrants arriving on buses continues, and Title 42 is set to expire in a few days.  
Title 42, the COVID-19 era restriction put in place to reduce the influx of migrants into the United States, is set to expire on May 11, and city officials say that they are not sure how many more asylum seekers they can accommodate.  
Those worries have made their way to those seeking asylum, as people like 23-year-old David Isturiz say they aren’t sure how much longer they’ll have shelter.  
“When it comes to staying here, we’re not sure how long we can be here. We are waiting for the judge to make a decision that will determine a lot of things,” said Isturiz.  
Isturiz came from Venezuela to New York with his wife and three children in November 2022, and has been staying inside Artel 535, one of Brooklyn’s most hip hotels. A worker of the hotel told News 12 that the building has not operated as a hotel in months, but rather has served as a place to shelter migrants.  
Isturiz says he has found work in construction, and that the city has been helpful since his arrival, but that aid may be harder to come by with the influx of more and more asylum seekers. Volunteers at Port Authority Bus Terminal told News 12 that they have seen at least 300 new migrants arrive per day.  
House Republicans are set to vote on a border security package to possibly succeed Title 42. If it passes, it’s not expected to make it through the Democratic-led U.S. Senate.  
News 12 has reached out to City Hall and management from Artel 535 for statements and are awaiting responses.