Mayors meet about migration and refugees

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - In Midtown Manhattan on Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio hosted a summit to address global challenges about immigration and refugee policies.

"This gathering speaks to the changes that we have to keep making in our cities to move the world around us," de Blasio told the meeting.

This was one of many events happening during this week's U.N. General Assembly in New York. De Blasio hopes it will inspire more cities to take responsibility for those who seek refuge.

"We handle these issues because it is our job, it's our moral responsibility because there are human beings in our midst, they become part of our community," de Blasio said.

Mayors and representatives from more than 30 cities around the world were in attendance at this summit. They discussed and shared the different ways their cities handle immigration and refugees.

"We have very strong regulations in our departments," Philadelphia Mayor James Kenney said. "You are not allowed to ask people for their origin, you're not allowed to ask for their papers."

Deputy Mayor of Paris Dominque Versini announced that France's national government has a duty to help immigrants.

"During the processing, asylum-seekers are entitled to temporary housing in a special center, health insurance, and a specific stipend," Versini said.

The Global Mayors Summit is a day two-day event. Workshops and smaller discussion sessions are also on the agenda.