More than a year ago, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott began busing migrants to New York and other liberal cities, something Democrats called cynical, inhumane and a ploy. This works great too.
The crisis Abbott exported to New York pitted erstwhile Democratic allies against each other, blaming each other while trying to mount a unified response. It also focuses national attention on an issue favored by Republicans — immigration and the chaotic southern border — at the expense of one they would rather remain silent on: abortion.
“This is red meat for their base because, in their mind, they are now making their pain felt in New York,” said Travis Terry, president of Capalino, a New York lobbying and consulting firm. Travis Terry said of the Republican strategy. “This is obviously a heated political issue and it’s going to be an even bigger political issue next year.”
Since the spring of 2022, the number of immigrants heading to New York City has exceeded 118,000, far exceeding the number Abbott sent, and shows no sign of abating. In interviews, some newcomers said they chose New York because of its services and opportunities. Others say they have no choice.
The crisis reached a turning point last week when the Biden administration, after months of persuasion by New York Mayor Eric Adams, agreed to provide temporary asylum seekers to some 500,000 Venezuelan asylum seekers arriving by July 31. Protect identity.
The policy shift should allow them to start working legally in the country without having to wait 150 days after applying for asylum before requesting special work authorization.
It is hoped that if migrants can work and pay their way, this in turn should ease pressure on a city that is currently caring for more than 61,000 asylum seekers – a burden that Adams warned could be “devastating” New York.
But shortly after thanking President Joe Biden, the mayor again warned of dire consequences if the government does not provide protected status to other immigrants. He also called for a nationwide “stress reduction” strategy to resettle immigrants and federal aid to cover costs the city expects to reach $12 billion over the next few years.
“I’ve made it very clear, I’m not going to try to sugarcoat what New Yorkers need to know,” Adams said Sunday. “This would be extremely devastating for our city.”
Republican critics such as Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford warn that Biden’s actions will only exacerbate the problem by attracting more immigrants — a possibility that some Democrats do not discount. “(TPS) is now being used to further incentivize and reward illegal immigration,” Lankford wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
For Francisco Rojas, a 23-year-old asylum seeker from Caracas, the development was more confusing than exciting. Rojas has spent the past year living in the shadow of America’s informal economy, traveling between New York, Chicago and Florida. He wants to know if he has to register to get his new identity? If so, where? Does it apply to all states?
After rushing to make the announcement, New York City officials appeared to have no further information. One person pointed out that there is a $410 fee to apply for protected status online, adding: “Most asylum seekers don’t have $410 on hand.”
The city appeared to be kept in the dark by the federal government, which rejected Adams’ repeated requests for a meeting and accused the city of mismanaging the crisis. That’s a change from a year ago, when the two politicians enjoyed a blue-collar bromance, with Adams jokingly calling himself “Brooklyn’s Biden.” Tensions have also grown in recent months between the Adams administration and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“I do think this is an existential crisis for Democrats,” said one prominent New York City Democrat, acknowledging that the party has largely ignored the voices of border states and that members are now being tested , to see if they can deliver on their promises. specified value.
In neighboring New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy ran six years ago as a pro-immigration Democrat. But Murphy has since rejected the idea of sheltering immigrants at Atlantic City International Airport or anywhere else in the state.
In New York, philanthropy and generosity continue in a city that bills itself as a shining example of immigrant talent and ambition.
There were also signs of nervousness. In a recent ugly scene, protesters in Staten Island abused asylum seekers as they tried to stop a bus carrying them to a senior assisted living residence on the island’s shores.
A person close to Adams said the crisis was politically daunting for a mayor who had hoped to use his optimistic personality to lead the city’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, he got caught up in the thorny immigration issue.
Lawyers for New York City went to court to challenge a 1970s legal ruling that obligated the city to provide shelter to all people, arguing that it was inappropriate during a humanitarian crisis of this magnitude. It was not foreseen. The mayor also ordered all departments to cut their budgets by 15% to offset the cost of caring for so many immigrants with limited federal aid.
Critics have criticized Adams for not doing enough for immigrants, especially last month when overcrowding forced dozens of people to sleep on the sidewalk outside the historic Roosevelt Hotel in downtown Manhattan, which had been converted into a processing center. However, he has also been criticized for doing the opposite, doing too much for newcomers at the expense of struggling New Yorkers.
“A lot of mayoral voters ask: Where is my hotel room?” this person said.
Veteran political strategist Hank Scheinkopf said Biden also faces difficult calculations. Providing more funding and relief to New York City would be deeply unpopular in other parts of the country. At the same time, Scheinkopf added, the influx of immigrants “raises the most serious concerns in the suburbs surrounding cities, where Democrats need to win seats.”
“He’s got Biden in an absolute bind,” he said of Abbott.
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