Bused From Texas to Manhattan, an Immigrant Struggles to Find Shelter

New York City is the only major U.S. city that’s required to provide shelter to anyone in need.

The city recently began limiting single adult migrants to a 30-day stay with an option to reapply for another 30 days .

Officials estimate that the arrival of migrants will cost the city more than $10 billion over three years .

Ruben Navarrette : The only free bus he was able to board in Texas was to New York .

He says the city has offered to pay the costs to transport migrants elsewhere, but he says Chicago might be worse.

He said he plans to get through his court date in Chicago and then move to Phoenix with work permit.

By Thursday , Ramon and Larez ’s numbers had reached the front of the queue, but they were told there were no available shelter beds.

On Sunday afternoon , nine days after they started traveling the city together, they got separated on the train.

They went back to a corner for sandwiches and then to a church to sleep.

City officials say that wait times for adult men seeking readmission to shelters for migrants averaged around eight days .