New York mayor declares state of emergency over migrant crisis

New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency in the city last Friday as thousands of migrants have arrived in the city by bus from the U.S. southern border in recent months due to a political dispute over border security.

“The city expects to spend a billion dollars to deal with the influx of migrants,” Adams said in a statement at City Hall.

“More than 17,000 people have arrived in New York City since April; an average of five or six buses every day since early September, with nine buses entering the city on Thursday, loading up the city’s homeless shelter system,” he explained.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who is running for a third term in the November midterm elections in the United States, has brought more than 3,000 migrants to New York City. Adams criticized Abbott for failing to warn New York City officials when sending migrants to the city, calling it a “man-made crisis.”

Abbott’s actions in the run-up to the midterm elections are part of a high-profile campaign by him and the Republican governors of Florida and Arizona to draw attention to the record number of people crossing the U.S. border from Mexico. According to these politicians, U.S. President Joe Biden, failed to adequately protect the border.

Abbott bused more than 900 people to Chicago, and Texas and Arizona combined to bring more than 10,000 migrants to Washington, D.C.

Florida Governor Ron Desantis, considered a possible presidential candidate in 2024, recently sent a group of about 50 migrants to an upscale neighborhood on Martha’s Vineyard Island, Massachusetts. Those aboard the plane said they had been misled.

Many called the actions political stunts and accused the governors of using people as pawns.

The migrants sent to New York are Venezuelans whom the U.S. cannot expel to Mexico under policies related to COVID-19 like some other migrants.

The increase in migrants has led to a record number of people in shelters across New York City.

“While our compassion is limitless, our resources are not,” Mayor Adams said, calling on the federal and state governments to provide support, adding, “We are on the precipice.”

Adams said the state of emergency would help city agencies coordinate more quickly.

Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington, D.C., declared a state of emergency in that city last month, creating an office to deal with incoming migrants.