New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency on Friday, saying that his city was not equipped to handle the influx of illegal immigrants coming via bus from Texas.
Adams, who has previously boasted about the fact that New York City is a sanctuary city, delivered the statement at a press conference, arguing that the crisis had begun with political violence in South America, but American political maneuvering had served to exacerbate the problem.
WATCH:
NYC Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency over the city’s migrant crisis, saying that the more than 17,000 asylum-seekers from Central America and South America are straining the city’s resources https://t.co/R90NZrqKcu pic.twitter.com/OGKUwU4szj
— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) October 7, 2022
“This is a humanitarian crisis that started with violence and instability in South America and is being accelerated by American political dynamics,” Adams said. “Thousands of asylum-seekers have been bused into New York City and simply dropped off without notice, coordination, or care — and more are arriving every day.”
“This crisis is not one of our own making, but one that will affect everyone in this city,” he continued, noting that many of the asylum-seekers could not legally work in the United States and would need far more than a few meals or a bed for a night or two — and he argued that took resources away from New Yorkers in need.
“New Yorkers are angry. I’m angry, too. We have not asked for this,” he added. “There was never any agreement to take on the job of supporting thousands of asylum seekers.”
WATCH:
Eric Adams declares a state of emergency over NYC's immigrant crisis:
"We have not asked for this. There was never any agreement to take on the job of supporting thousands of asylum seekers."pic.twitter.com/3mOmtoTjCS
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) October 7, 2022
Adams went on to note that the city is dealing with over 60,000 people in the shelter system — some of whom are illegal immigrants who have been bused into the city — which has forced the system to operate at near 100% capacity.
So far, the city has designated 42 hotels to serve as temporary shelters and has enrolled well over 5,000 migrant children in the appropriate schools — and the city expects to spend over $1 billion to manage the influx of migrants by the end of the fiscal year.
Per Adams’ declaration, the city will mobilize the appropriate agencies to work together in constructing Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers. The state of emergency will remain in effect for at least 30 days, after which Adams will determine whether or not it needs to be extended.