NYC's code blue alert set to make migrant crisis in the city even worse

Millions of New Yorkers are under a "code blue" weather alert in New York City on Tuesday and Wednesday ahead of the season's first major snowstorm in the region, which could worsen the city's homeless and migrant crisis.

Freezing conditions in New York require the city to take in all of its homeless population that are seeking shelter, which could include thousands of immigrants who illegally entered the United States on the country's southern border.

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New York is expected to see its first snowfall of the season overnight, but chilling winds and rain could bring snow as far south as Washington, D.C., on Tuesday night. Current National Weather Service projections expect both cities to have a low of 30 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday night and a high of 39 for New York on Wednesday afternoon.

Here is everything you need to know about New York's "code blue" alert and how it affects the migrant crisis:

What is a code blue alert?

A code blue alert means that the outdoor temperature is expected to drop below freezing, including with windchill, sometime between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m. When the temperatures do drop, the city is required to accept all homeless people, including immigrants, who are seeking accommodations.

If there is no room in any shelter, the city offers five buses that could shield residents from the wind and several drop-in centers that are open 24 hours during a code blue alert, the city said. Asylum-seekers have also slept in waiting rooms, according to Gothamist, with some immigrants sleeping on the floor or in chairs.

Why are immigrants homeless?

Not all of the 120,000 immigrants in New York are considered homeless. The city has been streamlining intake forms for the immigrants who request and are approved for housing, and nothing changes for them during a code blue. But New York City is considered a sanctuary city and has a "right to shelter" law, which requires the city to provide emergency housing for anyone who asks for it.

Although immigrants are protected under city law, the city has only promised to house them for 30 days, after which they could be given an eviction notice if they have not found alternative lodging. If the immigrants are evicted, they can reapply for temporary housing, but it is not guaranteed. Some immigrants have reported sleeping on the streets while waiting for a site to give them shelter after evictions, according to Gothamist, and waiting in lines for 12-15 hours in hopes of getting a spot.

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What can the public do to help immigrants and the homeless find shelter?

If a person sees a homeless person outside during a code blue, they are encouraged to call 311, and a dispatch team will be sent to the location of the homeless individual.