To put it bluntly, New York is a mess. Empire State residents are suffering through a deteriorating public safety situation, increasing tax burdens, and most recently, a spiraling migrant crisis that has inept New York Democratic leaders participating in a blame game with an equally incompetent Biden administration. Sadly, the biggest losers in this match of Acela Corridor finger-pointing are everyday New Yorkers.
For years, progressive politicians like Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams genuflected at the altar of leftism by championing sanctuary city policies to appease their radical progressive base. Because of limited local police involvement with federal immigration authorities via sanctuary city directives and guaranteeing housing to anyone who arrives in New York City via the Big Apple’s right-to-shelter law, it should come as no surprise that throngs of migrants would show up to the Empire State in search of resources that never truly existed in the first place – and show up they did.
The shortsighted policies supported by New York’s unpopular Democratic duo led to the Empire State becoming the final destination for more than 110,000 migrants who have arrived since April 2022. This influx has strained finances, particularly in New York City where Mayor Adams announced a sweeping 5% budget cut for all city agencies in order to divert resources to support the migrants, with more cuts likely by the spring. Indeed, the cost of housing these migrants in New York will exceed $12 billion over the next three fiscal years – precious funding that will be diverted from New York’s long-standing homeless population, public safety/law enforcement, and a long list of social service programs.
While Hochul and Adams continue placing the well-being of migrants ahead of hard-working New Yorkers, their Democratic ally in the White House also shares the blame.
President Joe Biden has let the border crisis grow to a boiling point, and his appointed border czar, Vice President Kamala Harris, rules with the competency of a third-grade class president. Under Biden, America’s porous borders have allowed at least 1.5 million gotaways to avoid detention by law enforcement upon crossing into the United States – we don’t know who these people are or what their intentions may be.
The ongoing migrant crisis fueled by the policies of Biden, Hochul, and Adams presents both a financial burden on the country as well as a national security emergency. In response, House Republicans passed the Secure the Border Act of 2023 in May, which includes major investments in border security infrastructure, additional resources to Customs and Border Protection, and an overall framework to end this crisis.
Americans can’t afford porous borders. I urge congressional Democrats, particularly my colleagues in the Senate, to join House Republicans in ending this migrant fiasco. American lives – and wallets – may hinge on their action.
Anthony D’Esposito is the a member of the House of Representatives from New York’s Fourth Congressional District.
