NEW YORK MINUTE: Assembly Democrats will meet behind closed doors at midday to discuss how to move forward with a new House map for New York. The consequential decision has been presented as a series of options to legislators: They can approve the map drawn by the bipartisan Independent Redistricting Commission, make their own tweaks to the existing House lines or approve full-blown changes to the districts. The commission-drawn map was introduced as a bill on Friday, making it eligible to be considered today. But there’s no guarantee it will be approved and some Democrats privately expect Republicans to file a legal challenge to any map that deviates from the commission's proposal. “It’s still undecided what we’re going to do,” one lawmaker told Playbook Sunday afternoon. Also under discussion is a change to the petitioning rules in House races that would reduce the number of signatures required for ballot access. New York is home to six battleground House seats, making the state key to the fortunes of both parties this year. — Nick Reisman MIGRANTS IN THE COLD: Week by week, the population of migrants in New York City’s shelters is shrinking, spurred by time limits on stays and a slowing rate of new arrivals. But a segment of that population is stuck in limbo. Migrants — predominantly men hailing from West Africa — are waiting for several days outside the St. Brigid “reticketing center” and nearby Tompkins Square Park in Manhattan’s East Village for new shelter assignments after their 30-day stays are up. They said they sleep on church floors, the streets and on subways. On Sunday afternoon, they were huddled in clusters in the cold. “It’s not easy but we can survive,” Mamadou Diallo, 29, of Guinea, told Playbook. “We have no choice.” Migrants in the city’s care numbered 65,000 as of Feb. 18, new data shows — down from 69,000 as of Jan. 7. The issue is shaping House races in New York this year and presenting policy, financial and political problems for Mayor Eric Adams as he pushes for more federal aid. “We have to have time limits. It is common sense,” Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom told reporters recently. “Everybody can’t come and stay for as long as they need to. People need to get on their feet.” But why are some migrants waiting for beds if others are vacating them? Different accommodations are needed for different populations, a City Hall spokesperson said. The municipal shelter system is at capacity, and single migrant adults cannot stay in hotels meant for migrant families with children, the spokesperson said. “They could solve this by offering hotels, absolutely,” Legal Aid Society staff attorney Stephanie Rudolph countered to Playbook. Moving migrants every 30 or 60 days doesn’t violate the city’s unique Right to Shelter consent decree, even if it’s logistically and emotionally difficult, Rudolph said, adding, however, that the number of days people are waiting for a bed “is absolutely a violation of Right to Shelter.” Like others, those at St. Brigid can leave the system and move on rather than continuing to reapply for beds. Signs posted outside the church remind them they can accept a free plane ticket — one way — to the destination of their choice. (A total of 28,568 tickets had been purchased for migrants between March 2022 through January of this year, according to new City Hall data.) Other signs warn, “If you are offered a cot placement and refuse it, you will not be offered another placement.” Assemblymember Harvey Epstein, who has an office across the street from St. Brigid, recently sent a letter to Adams asking for clarity on why migrants have to wait and whether they have access to legal and other resources. “I don’t think we need a reticketing center at all,” Epstein added to Playbook. “Someone goes into shelter, they should be able to stay in shelter.” Adams and top aides say city resources are overtaxed. Nearly 180,000 migrants have passed through the city since April 2022 and federal help is not forthcoming. But 110,000 have moved on, and some efforts are underway to help migrants apply for asylum, temporary protected status and work authorization. Outside St. Brigid, 37-year-old Guinean migrant Abdul Diallo told Playbook in French that he wants that next step. He said he couldn’t imagine going home to a country ruled by a military junta, where his life is at risk. “All I need are work papers and a job,” he said. — Emily Ngo IT’S MONDAY. Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.
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