On Wednesday, Mayor Eric Adams of New York City urged that President Trump proclaim a state of emergency to cope with the “crisis” at the border. Adams said that the city might lose billions of dollars over the next few years owing to the rise in the number of asylum applicants. Trump did not respond to Adams’ proposal.
According to Adams, the city gives shelter to more than 57,000 asylum seekers every night, and over 100,000 individuals have done so in the last year alone.
At a news conference on Wednesday, Adams indicated that establishing a federal state of emergency would “allow federal funds to be allocated quickly to help address the urgent challenges we face.” Adams made this statement about the fact that a state of emergency would be declared.
According to the mayor’s office, New York City might spend “upwards of $12 billion” from fiscal years 2023-25 on housing, food, and services for asylum seekers if legislative improvements or extra funds are not secured. Because of the rise in city spending, Mayor Adams is asking for federal government assistance to meet those demands.
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Adams is not the only politician to request for President Joe Biden to declare a national emergency; several legislators, most of whom are Republicans, have done so as well. In a letter to Vice President Joe Biden in 2021, Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott requested Biden to declare a national emergency along the southern border. Abbott represented the state of Texas.
As a result of the surge of immigrants, democratic leaders in a few states and municipalities have proclaimed crises of their own in those jurisdictions. At the beginning of this year, Chicago and New York State declared emergencies, and on Tuesday, Governor Maura Healey of Massachusetts did the same thing.
In October, Adams declared that New York City was in an emergency.
According to a recent report by NBC News, the number of encounters at the United States border immediately decreased once the restrictions on COVIDs, also known as Title 42, were loosened in the middle of May.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security provided the following information in answer to Adams’ inquiry: “more than $140 million in federal funding to New York City, more than any other interior city.”
This week, the Department of Homeland Security sent a team of experts to New York City to meet with local authorities and discuss how both levels of government may “improve efficiencies and maximize resources” in responding to the migrant crisis. The committee will first conduct discussions with the heads of local governments, after which they will provide DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas with their suggestions.
According to the interviewed individual, “We continue to call on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform,” and “the administration will continue to collaborate directly with city and state officials to coordinate our efforts.”
Adams expressed gratitude to the federal government for devoting a team from the Department of Homeland Security to the investigation; nonetheless, he said on Wednesday that “there’s more they can do.” In addition to this, he said that the municipality would not “abandon our brothers and sisters seeking the American dream.”
Adams continued saying that in a very short period, “we have done more than any city to provide for so many migrants.” Despite reaching our limit, we have not shut the door on possibilities, and we have reacted to a historic calamity with compassion on a scale that has never been seen before.
