The humanitarian crisis at the southern border has spread to some of the nation's largest cities, with places like Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago and New York trying to manage the arrival of thousands of migrants seeking asylum.

A migrant center expected to house up to 3,000 migrants on New York City's Randall's Island is the latest answer to the city's overcrowding crisis. 

It's been difficult for the city to find space, at one point leaving dozens of people waiting outside and sleeping on sidewalks at Manhattan's Roosevelt Hotel, which has been converted into an intake center.

More than 100,000 migrants have passed through New York City since spring 2022, and more than 58,000 still remain in the city's care.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the new Randalls Island facility is not a sign of progress, but of a crisis.

"The greatest, I believe, humanitarian crisis the city has ever witnessed," he said.

Adams is also considering using a closed federal prison as an option to house migrants. New York City projects it could spend up to $12 billion on the crisis in the next three years.

"Everything is on the table. I wanna be clear on that," the mayor said. "Everything is on the table because when people come here, the last stop is, is for someone to sleep on the street."

Adams wants the Biden administration to intervene and grant migrants the right to work.

"The precursor to sleep, to enjoy the American dream, is the right to work," Adams said. "Let them work."

While the White House emphasized in a statement to CBS News its commitment to working with cities that are housing arriving migrants, it said Congress needs to approve additional funding.

In:
• Immigration

Jericka Duncan

Jericka Duncan is a national correspondent based in New York City and the anchor for Sunday's edition of the "CBS Weekend News."

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