Imagine arriving at a shelter in New York City after a long, exhausting journey, unsure of what the future holds and unable to communicate in the language spoken around you. You need to ask urgent questions about where to sleep, how to get food, and what the next steps are—but the barrier of language feels insurmountable. This is a reality faced by many migrants and asylum seekers in the city’s shelter system, where clear communication is essential to navigating their new lives.
In recent years, New York City has experienced an unprecedented surge in the number of individuals seeking refuge in its shelters. The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) has seen a 30 percent increase in shelter occupancy over the last year alone, driven largely by the arrival of over 210,000 migrants and asylum seekers. These families, many with young children, now account for nearly 40 percent of the DHS shelter population.
As the shelter population has grown, so has the demand for language services. Requests for interpretation—whether via a remote LanguageLine interpreter or through on-site interpreters—have skyrocketed, increasing more than five-fold over the past five years. In 2020, there were 18,660 completed requests for interpretation in DHS shelters. By 2024, that number had soared to over 107,000. The rapid increase in language needs reflects the city’s shifting demographics and the urgency of addressing the communication challenges within the shelter system.
Faced with this growing demand, DHS has worked to ensure that every individual, regardless of the language they speak, can access essential services. While English and Spanish remain the most commonly spoken languages, the arrival of migrants from Africa and other regions has expanded the need for interpreters who speak Arabic, Pulaar, and Wolof. This increasing diversity of languages has posed significant challenges for the shelter system, requiring quick adaptation and an increased collaboration with their language partner.
To meet these needs, DHS has implemented a range of services aimed at bridging the language gap. Shelters now offer on-site interpreters, bilingual staff, and access to phone-based interpretation services through LanguageLine. This infrastructure allows individuals to communicate with shelter staff about their immediate needs—whether it’s understanding important notices, receiving medical care, or accessing social services.
LanguageLine’s flexibility has helped DHS to respond quickly as new languages and dialects become more prevalent in the shelter system. Whether a shelter needs immediate support for a French-speaking family or a last-minute interpreter for a less common language, LanguageLine’s vast network of interpreters has ensured that services are available at a moment’s notice.
The partnership between DHS and LanguageLine has also been pivotal in ensuring that shelters can keep up with the sheer volume of requests. Despite the five-fold increase in demand, wait times for interpretation services have remained minimal, allowing shelters to function more efficiently and provide real-time support to their residents. This collaboration has helped prevent communication breakdowns in critical moments, such as medical emergencies or when families are trying to secure housing.
Language access is not just about interpretation; it’s about dignity. For migrants and asylum seekers, being able to communicate in their own language means being seen, heard, and understood in a system that can often feel overwhelming and isolating.
Language services are no longer a luxury; they are a lifeline for thousands of people trying to navigate the complexities of shelter systems in a new and unfamiliar country. New York City’s experience is a powerful reminder of the importance of communication and the essential role that language access plays in creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all.
We invite you to contact us so that we can tailor a language access solution to your specific needs.