Scotland's First Minister John Swinney told Sky News he agreed there “needs to be a pause” on new asylum seekers coming to Glasgow as the system is overwhelmed.
The city is at the forefront of the UK immigration system. more arrivals than anywhere else.
The latest UK-wide figures show that Glasgow was the local authority with the highest proportion of asylum seekers housed, at 59 per 10,000 residents (3,716 in total).
The UK Home Office is processing asylum applications en masse to try to clear a years-long backlog.
Once an asylum seeker is granted the right to remain in the UK, they become a refugee and pass from the responsibility of the Home Office to the local authority.
Sky News has repeatedly pressed the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) on whether he supports calls from local leaders in Glasgow for a temporary suspension of new arrivals to the city so they can meet demand.
Talking to Sky News before SNP conference in Aberdeen, Mr Swinney said Glasgow City Council's request was a “fair and reasonable approach”.
Read more on Sky News:
Liam Gallagher and Wayne Rooney among the stars at Ricky Hatton's funeral
Migrant with AK-47 face tattoo found guilty of threatening to kill Nigel Farage
Problems come together
Although immigration is controlled by Westminster, housing and health care are among the issues dealt with by the Scottish Government.
Scotland's homelessness legislation means councils must house anyone without a home.
This is a more generous policy than in England, where typically only those with “priority needs” receive a roof over their heads.
With community tensions soaring and Glasgow council facing a £66 million black hole, city leaders are calling on the Home Office to suspend moves.
Mr Swinney told Sky News: “The Home Office in Glasgow needs to answer their call for more time to make decisions about homelessness.”
Asked whether he supported a pause on asylum, Mr Swinney said: “That's not what the Home Office is proposing and I think it needs to be done.”
He concluded that he “understood” the demands facing Glasgow.
Swinney denies his government is partly to blame
The Daily Record reported this week. The crisis in Scotland has been exacerbated by a rise in homelessness claims from other places in the UK, including London, Belfast and Birmingham.
Asked by Sky News whether the SNP's more liberal laws on providing housing to anyone who declares themselves homeless, he said: “I think our approach to homelessness is the right approach.
“There is a long-established approach to tackling homelessness in Scotland which we believe is the right one.”
He blamed the Glasgow crisis on the Home Office.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has been contacted for comment.
Farage is 'disgusting'
In the wide-ranging interview, Mr Swinney was also asked about polls that suggest Nigel Farage's Reform UK party could form the official opposition in next year's Scottish Parliament elections.
The SNP leader said he found Farage's policies “repulsive” and said “some” of his Scottish supporters were far right.
