Cots, food scarcity and constant confusion: the toll of New York’s migrant shelter evictions

The city says evicting migrants will make them self-sufficient - but some say it's a tool to deter people from seeking asylum

On 25 January at 10am, Jhoann Reyes carried his family's belongings - several suitcases, a jumbo plastic checkered bag, three backpacks, and two baby strollers - from their room at the Stewart Hotel to the sidewalk. The New York City hotel-turned-emergency-migrant-shelter had been their home for a year.

Originally from Venezuela, Reyes first moved to Ecuador fleeing political persecution. There he met his wife Katherine. Over a year ago, the Reyeses and their kids left Ecuador because of gang violence, and came to New York through Colombia, Mexico and Texas. That misty day in January was their eviction date.