New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) is grappling with the effects of Joe Biden’s open border policies, which have sharply increased the number of illegal migrants arriving in the city. As a result, Adams has resorted to relocating these migrants to suburban Rockland County, sparking controversy and criticism from local officials.
Adams announced that two hotels in Orange Lake and Orangeburg would temporarily house at least 300 single-adult men seeking asylum. This decision comes as the city spends around $4 million daily on the crisis. At the same time, the Biden administration fails to address the situation at the southern border.
Eric Adams Resorts to Sending Illegal Migrants to Suburbs As City Is Plagued By Biden's Border Crisis https://t.co/zsdrhn8Jxr
— AppPatriotgirl 🇺🇸 (@jsmith4966) May 6, 2023
However, Rockland County officials have expressed concern over Adams’ plan. County Supervisor Teresa Kenny argues that the suburbs lack the necessary resources to handle the influx of illegal migrants and that federal assistance is required. Furthermore, she said, “To send these people to a location that is not equipped to meet their needs is a betrayal of that often-expressed desire by NYC to be a sanctuary for them.”
Echoing Kenny’s concerns, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) criticized Biden’s inability to secure the border, leading to chaos in U.S. states. He urged Mayor Adams not to send migrants to Rockland County, stating that the area already struggles with food and supplies. Lawler emphasized that Rockland County should not bear the costs associated with the Biden administration’s failure on border security and immigration policy.
New York City has seen more than 60,800 asylum seekers since last year, with over 37,500 currently receiving shelter. The city has also opened at least 122 hotels as emergency shelters and eight as humanitarian relief centers. This situation prompted Adams to send migrants to facilities outside New York City, including those near the Canadian border.
Rockland County Executive Ed Day and Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Joan Silvestri have called on New York City to stop busing migrants into their community, citing the significant strain on schools, food pantries, housing, and social services. In addition, they highlighted the city’s plans to house 340 adult males in a local hotel for four months while obtaining work permits, expressing concerns about the feasibility of this plan.
Despite these objections, Mayor Adams remains committed to his strategy. He said, “New York City continues to step up and handle this crisis, and this new program is an extension of our compassionate response, but these actions do not mean we still don’t need urgent action, including a national decompression strategy, financial resources, expedited work authorization, and real immigration reform from Congress.”
The need for a comprehensive solution becomes increasingly urgent as the Biden border crisis continues to affect New York City and its suburbs. In the meantime, local officials in Rockland County are left to manage the repercussions of Adams’ decision, which they argue is an inadequate response to a larger national problem.
