Eric Adams, Mayor of New York City, recently declared a state of emergency, telling reporters in a press conference that the influx would cost about $1 billion.
“This is a humanitarian crisis that started with violence and instability in South America, and it is being accelerated by American political dynamics,” said Adams. “The majority are adults who cannot legally work in this country. Many families with school-age children. Some are in desperate need of serious medical care,” Adams added.
He continued, “We have not asked for this. There was never any agreement to take on the job of supporting thousands of asylum seekers. This responsibility was simply handed to us without warning as buses began showing up.”
Mayor Adams continued, “We’re going to do what we have to in New York, but we do need to help to deal with this crisis that we’re facing.”
The mayor asked for state and federal aid and urged Congress to pass legislation that would shorten the mandatory waiting period for papers and work for migrants.
Adams’ move comes after at least 1,011 asylum seekers arrived in the city between September 16-18, according to officials with the city.
Adams said more than 61,000 people are now staying in shelters in the city, a near-record. Newly-arrived families have enrolled 5,500 new students in New York City’s public schools. Additionally, officials are renting rooms in more than 40 hotels spread across the city to keep up with the surge of immigrants.
“This is unsustainable. New York City is doing all we can, but we are reaching the outer limit of our ability to help,” said Adams.
Republican border state governors continue to protest administration’s inaction; send more migrants to sanctuary cities
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, along with other Republican governors, continues to send migrants to sanctuary cities, including Washington D.C. and New York City, to draw attention to the Biden administration’s crisis at the border.
According to a report by The Texas Tribune, Mayor Adams tried to reach out to Governor Abbott about busing migrants to New York but was unsuccessful.
“Our team reached out and … communicated with his team and stated, ‘Can you let us know so we can coordinate the effort?’ They refused to let us know. They continued to send the buses,” said Adams after his attempt.
In a partisan twist, not just Republican-led cities and states are busing migrants to other locations. Border city El Paso, Texas, led by a Democrat, has sent more migrants on buses to Chicago and New York City than Governor Abbott.
El Paso lies across the border from Juarez, Mexico, and has bused around 7,000 migrants since August to New York City and more than 1,800 to Chicago.
Although El Paso’s migrant busing efforts far exceed the statewide campaign by Abbott, it has received less attention. Governor Abbott is seeking re-election in the November 8 midterm elections. He has bused more than 900 migrants to Chicago and over 3,000 to New York City in a move to spotlight the record-breaking crossings at the southern border.
Arizona and Texas have bused more than 10,000 migrants to Washington, D.C. Recently, Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis flew a group of 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
