National Guard deployed to NYC’s homeless shelters to assist with influx of migrants 

National Guard members are being deployed to New York City’s homeless shelters to assist with the migrant influx that the city is experiencing. 

The troops will help with routine operations at the city’s shelters, which include “assisting with food distribution and capacity management and supplementing existing staffing resources on site,” a city Department of Social Services official told The New York Post. 

Their responsibilities “do not include staffing support for security, social services, or case management services,” the spokesperson said. The troops will also be trained in some capacity on homelessness services, added the Post. 

It isn’t immediately clear how many National Guard members were deployed and what shelters they will be assigned to. However, a source told the Daily News that troops were already stationed at eight Department of Homeless Services sites as of Wednesday. 

The deployment of the troops comes after New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency over the thousands of migrants that were being bused into the city from southern states. 

The Big Apple’s Department of Homelessness has been overwhelmed by the large number of newcomers arriving in the city. This month, the city’s homeless shelters hit new record occupancy figures, with more than 62,174 people living in shelters. 

Earlier this month, New York Governor Kathy Hochul mobilized 100 National Guard members to “provide logistical and operational support” at the city’s new relief center built on Randall’s island. Tent City, as the $65,000 intake center and shelter is commonly referred to, has capacity to house 500 migrants.