Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Pregnant NYC migrants catch a break. They won't face eviction until their babies turn 6 months old.
By
Arya Sundaram
and
Karen Yi
Published Jan 17, 2024
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images
By
Arya Sundaram
and
Karen Yi
Published Jan 17, 2024
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Pregnant migrants in their third trimester have been granted a reprieve by the Adams administration: They won’t face eviction from New York City shelters until their babies turn 6 months old.
The new temporary exemption, which was first reported by local news outlet THE CITY, follows criticism of the Adams administration for uprooting pregnant migrants and newborns in the dead of winter. The city began implementing new 60-day stay limits for migrant families last week.
“The health and safety of migrants in our care is always a top priority,” City Hall spokesperson Charles Lutvak said in a statement. He added that the new shelter limits and “intensive case management” help “families with children take the next step in their journey towards permanency and self-sufficiency.”
City Hall spokesperson Kayla Mamelak previously said 1,600 families will be required to leave their shelters by the end of the month under the 60-day limit policy – with an opportunity to reapply for shelter elsewhere if they cannot find new housing on their own.
Officials have said the new stay limits are aimed at freeing up shelter beds for newly arrived migrants.
The city began evicting migrant families from its shelters on Jan. 9. Maria Quero, 26, a pregnant migrant from Venezuela, was among those who were forced out. Quero, who lauded the new exemptions, said she was 35 weeks pregnant at the time of her move.
"A pregnant woman suffers from so much emotional change, especially having to be in a situation of having to change where you live," she said in Spanish through WhatsApp, in reaction to the policy change.
After leaving the Row Hotel in Midtown, she and her husband were relocated to a Brooklyn shelter.
Tagged
new york city
Asylum Seekers
housing
Race And Justice Unit
shelter
Arya Sundaram
Arya is a reporter covering race and justice. Got a tip? Email: [email protected] or reach Arya on Signal at 512-650-8767.
Read more
Karen Yi
Karen Yi covers homelessness and poverty. She joined the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom in 2020. Before that, Karen covered Newark for the Star-Ledger and spent almost a decade working for newspapers in New Jersey and Florida. She grew up in Miami and has a dog named Cashew. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-589-1460.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYC’s autumn foliage will be a fall feast this year
A rainy fall will intensify autumn foliage colors, making them last longer, too.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 6, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. ET
NY officials worry migrants will skip healthcare amid fed policy change
The concern is that many will avoid medical care out of fear that doing so could jeopardize their immigration status.
By
Caroline Lewis
News
NY officials worry migrants will skip healthcare amid fed policy change
The concern is that many will avoid medical care out of fear that doing so could jeopardize their immigration status.
By
Caroline Lewis
Early Addition: Spy magazine is doing a Substack pop-up
By
James Ramsay
Bronx woman found dead and infant in critical condition after balcony push, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
After Trump defunding, thousands losing rental assistance in NYC may finally have relief
By
David Brand
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .