(DCWatchdog.com) – Mayor Eric Adams expressed frustration on Friday about the continuing influx of migrants into New York City, stating that it has “destroyed” the city. He made an urgent appeal to the Biden administration for assistance in managing the flow of immigrants.
Earlier this week, Adams criticized the White House for neglecting New York City. On Friday, during a visit to Washington, D.C., he emphasized the multi-billion-dollar impact on the city’s budget and his plans to request federal aid.
During a panel discussion hosted by the African American Mayors Association, Adams said, “The city is being destroyed by the migrant crisis,” and criticized other city officials for not fighting for the necessary resources in Washington, D.C.
Adams’ comments came before several private meetings with White House officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator Deanne Criswell, during which he discussed the migrant crisis.
New York City is facing a $4.3 billion crisis, forcing the city to accommodate over 56,000 migrants in more than 100 taxpayer-funded shelters. Adams has criticized the Biden administration for not providing additional financial support.
On Wednesday, Adams accused the White House of abandoning the city, leading to “one of the largest humanitarian crises that this city has ever experienced.”
New York City has requested $654 million in FEMA grant money to address the budget shortfall, with a decision expected by May 31. According to the Office of Budget and Management, the city spent $817 million between July 2022 and March.
Mayor Adams has also directed city agencies to cut $4 billion from their budgets over the next four years to fund the humanitarian effort.
Governor Kathy Hochul’s budget proposal, which is nearly three weeks overdue, suggests that the state, city, and federal government should share the costs of NYC’s migrant crisis equally. However, Adams believes the city will likely bear a larger portion of the costs.
During his speech in D.C., Adams did not mention specific politicians. Still, critics claim that Senators Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries have been quiet on the issue of migrant funding recently.
Political consultant Hank Sheinkopf told The Post that they might be avoiding the conflict between Adams and Biden to prevent political damage.
Adams spoke with other Democratic mayors of major cities during the D.C. panel on Friday, claiming that without the additional billions spent on the migrant crisis, New York City could have experienced one of the most significant financial turnarounds in its history.
City Hall’s latest figures show that 34,800 asylum seekers are housed in 104 emergency shelters and eight Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers (HERRCs). Over 56,000 migrants have arrived in the city within the last year.
