With the reelection of President Trump for a second term, the influx of immigrants into New York City has rapidly decreased. Coupled with immigrants finding their own employment opportunities, the “Migrant Resettlement Assistance Program” (MRAP) led by the New York State government is set to terminate on June 15th this year.
According to Anthony Farmer, the spokesperson for the “Temporary and Disability Assistance Office of New York State” responsible for the program, MRAP was designed to reduce the population of immigrants gathered in shelters across the city. Currently, this population stands at approximately 43,000 individuals, lower than the peak of 69,000 individuals in January 2024, still posing long-term pressures on local government finances and social resources.
The program aids immigrant families in city shelters to relocate to permanent housing on Long Island or in upstate New York, providing up to a year of rental assistance and additional social services.
Farmer stated that this program is coming to an end as the number of immigrants seeking asylum in New York City is decreasing. Moreover, “many of the resettled families have obtained work permits, found employment, and achieved self-sufficiency, no longer requiring assistance from the program.”
However, this shift is happening amidst the Trump administration’s stringent crackdown on immigration and threats to cut or withdraw federal funding for immigrant assistance programs.