U.S. southern border were headed to New York,# but they were diverted instead to New Jersey.

It's the most recent effort by# officials to manage a crisis## that's seen hundreds of thousands of# migrants arrive in Norther more than 160,000 to New York# alone since the spring of 2022.

William Brangham is back now, and# reporting this week on how two## different cities are handling these new# arrivals.

He begins tonight in WI LLIAM BRANGHAM: It's a modern-day Ellis# Island, 19 stories tall in Midtown Manhattan.

The once grand Roosevelt Hotel is now the first## stop for many newly arrived# migrants to New York City.

DR. TED LONG, Senior Vice President of Ambulatory# Care, New York City Health + Ho WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Dr. Ted Long is an# executive with the city's hospital system,## which runs the arrival center# and many of the city's shelters.

COVID shuttered the Roosevelt, but# since opening to migrants last spring,## more than 85,000 have filed through here.

DR. TED LONG: We have learned a lot about the# specific needs of asylum seek the arrival center, we're bringing up front# how we can help you to address those need WILLIAM BRANGHAM: After registering,## asylum seekers m Elsewhere, there's information about# immigration and work laws.

And under a## painting of band leader Guy Lombardo, who# rang in New Year's Eve here for decades,## migrants are offered passage to somewhere new.

DR. TED LONG: If were able to identify# friends or family that you we will buy you a ticket anywhere in the world.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Long says up to a qua within 24 hours.

But for those that stay, housing# is the biggest single support the city provides.

One of the reasons New York has been such# a magnet for migrants is that this city## has a longstanding tradition of offering# shelter to anyone who requires it.

But now,## after their after 40 years, that# commitment may be in jeopardy.

Over the last 20 months, the shelter system in# New York City has basically doubled.

More than 67,000 migrants are now housed in shelters,# massive temporary tent camps, and hotels.

That includes people like Dayana, an asylum# seeker from Colombia who's being sheltered## in a Bronx hotel with her husband and# two children.

She takes her 11-year-old## son to public school in Manhattan, an# almost hour-long commute on two subways,## early enough so he can eat the# free breakfast school provides.

DAYANA, Asylum Seeker (through# translator): The school has been## a great he WILLIAM BRANGHAM: They fled home in 2022, after# she says her husband received death threats## because of his work as a community organizer.

She# says the school is a rare source of stability.

DAYANA (through translator): I don't want# to continue disrupting their lives.

The## journey from Colombia to here has# already been very tough on them.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Providing all this support# has not been cheap.

City officials estimate## this current migrant influx will cost# more than $12 billion over three years.

In November, Democratic Mayor Eric Adams announced# budget cuts, and warned more were likely.

ERIC ADAMS (D), Mayor of New York:# I don't have deportation powers.## I don't have the power to turn buses# around.

I don' were not going to give you some form of# housing.

I don't have any of that power.

And all I have the power to# do is to balance the budget.

PROTESTER: Immigrants are not safe here.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: In some neighborho JIMMY GILL, Staten Island, New York,# Resident: They don't belong here on## Staten Island.

T WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Last week, Adams started# requiring buses that are transporting migrants,## many sent from Texas, to give# advance notice of their arrivals.

Like other mayors, Adams blames the# federal government for not doing enough,## but is also critical of border state officials# like Republican Governor Greg Abbott of Texas.

ERIC ADAMS: This is a national problem.

This has## only been exacerbated by Governor# Abbott GOV.

GREG ABBOTT (R-TX): The lead importer of# migrants to New York is not Texas.

It's Joe Biden.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Amid record numbers of# migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexican border,## Governor Abbott is unapologetic# about transporting some people north.

GOV.

GREG ABBOTT: What you're dealing with# in New York is a tiny fraction of what is## happening every single day in the state of Texas.# It's a crisis.

It is chaotic.

And it must stop.

BRAD LANDER, New York City Comptroller: I# don't actually consider it a crisis.

To me,## this is the next wave of# people bec WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Brad Lander# is the city's comptroller,## an elected position that's the chief# financial and accoun BRAD LANDER: New York City lost# 400,000 people during the pandemic.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: People moving away.

BRAD LAN and we need more help than we're# getting from Washington especially## and from Albany.

But it's not the# primary driver in the budget gaps.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Given the level of# services that you all are offering,## how long can New York City keep# doing this at this capacity?

DR. TED LONG: Well, one of the big# problems we have in New York City is## that we are out of space.

Everybody that# we don't have a placement for them# in the New York City system yet.

We need the resources to# keep up with the lifesaving## care that we offer to people every day here.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: But New York City# is also trying to change a key part## of its support for migrants.

This# fall, officials asked a court mo re flexibility when it comes to the# city's so-called right-to-shelter rule.

Officials argued that 1981 rule governing# the homeless is -- quote -- "outmoded and## cumbersome" in the face of# the present migrant crisis.

BRAD LANDER: It is a struggle for# the city to find new hotels and## new shelter.

But it's a mistake to# respond to that challenge by trying## to end the right to shelter.

Folks# will wind up sleeping on the street,## instead of in shelter.

And for families especially# -- I mean, this is what really brea WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Starting as soon# as this week, the city will enforce## a time limit for families, making those like# Dayana's reapply f potentially moving them to any shelter in the# city and even further from her kids' school.

DAYANA (through translator): We don't want to# disrupt anything else for them.

We as adults## try to make everything seem OK. We put on a brave# face and try not to make things seem WILLIAM BRANGHAM: With no agreement in Congress# around border policies or additional funding,## asylum seekers like Dayana and the# cities supporting them remain in limbo.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm# William Brangham in New York.

AMNA NAWAZ: And, tomorrow, William# continues his reporting from wh ere Texas officials have been# flying migrants in recent days.