New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday appealed to the state to cover about half of the cost of the city’s ongoing illegal immigration crisis.
Adams visited the state Capitol in Albany to testify at an annual public hearing known as “Tin Cup Day,” where mayors from across the Empire State lobby for state funds, all of which will raise $46 by 2025. He reportedly asked for a distribution of 100 million dollars. New York Post.
“I think there’s a recognition that New York City and New York State has to address this issue, and we’re saying that we shouldn’t put everything on the backs of New York City residents,” Adams said. said.
“The city is in a precarious situation, and today we’re asking the state to increase its share of 50 percent of the cost,” said Adams, a Democrat.
New York Mayor Adams and immigrants in the city (Luis C. Ribeiro/New York Daily News | Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
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Adams testified that the Big Apple’s shelter population has tripled since he took office. At least 170,000 illegal immigrants have arrived in New York since spring 2022.
New York state has already pledged about $2.4 billion in 2025 to fight the migrant crisis, but Adams told lawmakers on Tuesday that the state’s pledge would only cover a third of the city’s costs. Told. This $2.4 billion is in addition to the $1.9 billion already allocated by the state in fiscal year 2024.
Of the $2.4 billion already pledged by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, about $1.3 billion will go toward large-scale migrant tent shelters at Floyd Bennett Field in Queens, Randalls Island and Brooklyn, Adams said. It is said that it is being filled. About $1.1 billion will be paid for housing, food and other services for the roughly 67,000 immigrants still in the city’s custody.
“We are the economic engine of the state,” Adams said. “And we’re always here for the state. We need the state to come to this city for us right now.”
Officials had hoped the cost of the crisis would be split evenly between the city, state and federal government, but Adams acknowledged that the federal government never agreed to that arrangement. The Biden administration has allocated about $150 million in federal aid so far.
“The federal government hasn’t given us even a third, so we’re not going to pay for it,” Adams said when pressed by Republican state Sen. George Borrello about why Albany should get more funding, according to the newspaper. That means they’re getting 70%,” he said.
“Despite our efforts, I don’t think they will give us any more.”
Volunteers distribute food and clothing to migrants in New York City’s East Village neighborhood on January 27, 2024. (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)
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The cash request comes as the mayor faces criticism for a $53 million pilot program to distribute prepaid credit cards to immigrant families living in hotels.
At the hearing, the mayor said he was trying to dismiss “misinformation” about the program.
“We’re not giving people American Express cards,” Adams said. “The food delivery service we set up during the emergency showed we could find a better way, driven by the belief that we wanted to reduce immigration costs by 20%. So we launched a pilot project with 500 people. We were giving them food cards, instead of debit cards, so they didn’t have to deliver food or get people to eat food, and we were seeing food waste. They can now get their own food and it’s consumed. It’s $12 a day.”
Adams dismissed questions raised by Borrero about the city’s sanctuary city policy.
“Are you of the opinion that New York City should remain a sanctuary city?” Borrero asked, according to the paper.
“Yes, that’s right. I think being a sanctuary city is where we all come from,” Adams said. “We all come from some level of immigration, but I think the people who come here and take advantage of our good character need to be dealt with at the federal level and deported. ”
Gov. Kathy Hochul presents her budget at the State Capitol in Albany on January 16, 2024. New York State has announced that it will contribute approximately $2.4 billion in fiscal 2025 to combat the immigration crisis. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)
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The policy was also brought up by state Sen. Jessica Ramos, D-Queens, who said Adams is asking New York taxpayers to provide billions of dollars to help with a “self-created crisis.” Stated.
“This is a law that he and the New York City Council have no interest in fixing,” Ramos said. “I really hope the mayor stops wasting money by putting up tents, taking down tents, and moving people around like livestock.”
FOX News’ Daniel Wallace contributed to this report.
