NYC officials call on Biden for more help with asylum seekers
The Biden administration's decision to allow hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans temporary work permits was welcomed by Mayor Eric Adams.
LEARN MOREPosted: 12:44 p.m. EDT Oct 2, 2023
A top adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams is calling for the federal government to take drastic measures to address the immigration crisis.
In an interview with WPIX in New York, Ingrid Lewis-Martin said the Biden administration needs to "close the borders."
"Until you close the borders, you need to take all our migrants and move them throughout our 50 states," she stated.
More than 100,000 migrants have arrived in New York City in the last year, according to Adams, who has openly discussed the strain the issue is having on workers, organizations and resources.
Following Lewis-Martin's comments, a spokesperson for Adams attempted to clarify his official position, noting that the mayor believes the U.S. should continue to welcome immigrants. However, Fabien Levy added that there needs to be a "decompression strategy."
"As we’ve stated repeatedly, we need a real decompression strategy at the border so that all communities across the U.S. can do their part in providing the compassion & care NYC has provided to more than 118,000 asylum seekers since last year," he said.
Adams estimates feeding and sheltering migrants over the next three years will cause a $12 billion deficit.
The mayor and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul have called for the president to take executive action and provide federal assistance, as well as expedite temporary work authorizations for newly arrived migrants.
The Biden administration has largely pinned the blame on Congress for failing to pass immigration reform. However, the president met with Hochul in September and promised to provide additional federal resources to assist with the problem. He also requested for Congress to approve $600 million for the Shelter and Services Program, which supports non-citizens in the country.
