As asylum seekers begin to arrive, CBS New York tours Randall's Island shelter
NEW YORK -- The city was set to open a new emergency response and relief center to house asylum seekers on Sunday.
CBS New York went on a tour of the facility on Randall's Island.
Up to 3,000 adults will live in the newly constructed shelter. During the tour, officials touted it as one the largest the city has built since the asylum seeker emergency started.
"We're going to have security guards 24/7 in every part of the facility," said Dr. Ted Long, senior vice president of NYC Health + Hospitals.
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Four massive climate-controlled tents occupy the space of four repurposed soccer fields -- and a fifth one was being put up on Sunday afternoon.
Two additional tents serve as a cafeteria and a health-screening space.
"Some of the first men that come here are people that have been at our sites to start working on their next path and then newer arrivals coming to the city can come into our respite sites and continue the cycle," said Christina Farrell, first deputy commissioner of the city's Office of Emergency Management.
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Officials said they're still calculating the cost, which will be covered entirely by the state.
This comes as Mayor Eric Adams and city officials have consistently asked for state and federal help to accept and house the more than 100,000 asylum seekers that have come to New York since last spring.
"While New York City may be a city of immigrants, we are not a city of unlimited resources. So we again call on federal and state government to provide appropriate support that New York City needs," said Manuel Castro, commissioner of the Office of Immigrant Affairs.
Randall's Island housed a tent city last year that was shut down in the fall because of complaints of a lack of transportation.
"We want to make sure people can make it into any part of New York City to find jobs, to reunite with friends and family members. Right here is the East Harlem Bridge. We also have the M35 bus and today we are able to confirm that we will have a shuttle going to Astoria as well," Long said.
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The city said the space will be used as a longer-term shelter and is expected to reach capacity quickly.
"Really nothing is off the table now as we continue to see so many asylum seekers, both families and adults, that need assistance," Farrell said.
The center's first 150 tenants were set to move in Sunday.
City officials said they are currently considering other options, including Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, to help respond to this crisis.