The mayor of New York City on Tuesday asked a judge to temporarily set aside his longstanding right to shelter because he could no longer meet his legal obligation to house every homeless person due to the arrival of tens of thousands of international migrants.

The right to shelter has existed in the city for more than four decades, after a court in 1981 required the city to provide temporary shelter to any homeless person who requests it. Other major US cities have no such rule.

But with the arrival of 70,000 asylum seekers since last spring, many of whom entered the US from Mexico, the city faces the challenge of finding space for anyone who needs a temporary roof and bed.

It’s in everyone’s best interest, including those who want to come to the United States, to be forthright that New York City alone cannot provide care to everyone crossing our border,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.

“If we are dishonest about this, our system will only collapse, and we need our government partners to know the truth and do their part,” said the mayor, a Democrat.

Adams said he was not looking for a permanent end to the right to shelter, but for “clarification from the court”.

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The proposal was condemned by some housing advocates, who said it could lead to more people living away from home.

Joe Loonam, housing campaign coordinator for the advocacy group VOCAL-NY, said Adams wants to end the right to shelter that keeps New York City from following in the footsteps of places like LA and San Francisco, where thousands of people live in squalid conditions. on the street.

New York’s collection system is now filled to record levels. The city says yes

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provide housing for 93,000 people. In recent months, it has been renting out entire hotels at great expense to accommodate the influx of migrants. It has also placed some on cots in schools and temporarily housed people in tents, a cruise ship terminal and a former police academy building.

In a letter to the Deputy Chief Judge for New York City

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In court, the city’s lawyers called for a law change that would allow officials to suspend the right to shelter when the Department of Homeless Services lacks the resources to safely house everyone.

Adams has sought financial help from the state and federal governments and has been critical of the president

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Biden’s administration for not providing funding for migrant care.

In recent weeks, the city has begun paying to house asylum seekers in hotels in the city’s northern counties, but that move has fueled anger and accusations that the city is dumping its troubles on other communities.

Associated Press writer Deepti Hajela contributed to this report.