Asylum-Seeking Mom Dies By Suicide In NYC Shelter, Mayor Says

NEW YORK CITY — A young mother who sought asylum in New York died by suicide in a city shelter Sunday, Mayor Eric Adams said.

The woman took her own life as the city grapples with incoming busloads of migrants shipped to New York by Texas's Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republican lawmakers.

Not many details have been released, and it remains unclear whether the young mother was among those migrants, but Adams said he holds Abbot accountable for creating a dangerous situation.

"The governor of Texas and others are at fault for creating this man-made humanitarian crisis, that's what I think," Adams said.

"A woman was, I believe, traumatized by this whole experience."

Roughly 11,000 asylum seekers largely from Central and South America have entered New York City in recent months and put a heavy strain on the city's shelter system, the mayor told WCBS reporter Marcia Kramer over the weekend.

To face the crisis, Adams said he is considering housing asylum seekers on cruise ships.

Adams defended his administration's handling of strained the city's shelter system — which led to violations of a "right to shelter" practice that guarantees a bed for unhoused people — and blasted Republican governors for using human beings as a "political ploy."

During a weekend media blitz, Adams said the city's lawyers are looking at legal challenges against Texas.

In Monday's statement, Adams focused attention on the woman who took her own life.

"Our hearts break for this young woman and any loved ones she may have, and we, as a city mourn her," he said. "This tragedy is a reminder that we have an obligation to do everything in our power to help those in need."

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, there are resources to help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day at 988. Its website offers services including a live chat.