New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency Friday in response to the continuous influx of illegal immigrants flooding into the city from southern border states.
According to Fox News, “more than 17,000 migrants have been bused to the city since the spring,” which represents just a small fraction of the numbers communities on the border have seen in the same timeframe.
Fox News cameras filmed eight buses arriving Friday at the Port Authority transportation terminal, after nine arrived Thursday.
During a press conference, Adams complained that the illegal aliens are creating a “crisis” by clogging the city’s shelter system, and announced that the city will soon be opening “a large humanitarian emergency response and relief center on Randalls Island.”
“This is a humanitarian crisis that started with violence and instability in South America and is being accelerated by American political dynamics,” Adams said Friday. “Thousands of asylum seekers have been bused into New York City and simply dropped off, without notice, coordination, or care — and more are arriving every day.”
Adams has for months blasted Governor Greg Abbott (R-Texas) for sending the busloads his way, accusing the Republican of turning illegal border crossers into political pawns.
Even though he has proudly touted New York City’s status as a sanctuary city that welcomes illegal immigrants, Adams took none of the blame for the situation.
“This crisis is not of our own making but one that will affect everyone in this city, now and in the months ahead,” the mayor insisted. “New Yorkers deserve to know why this is happening and what we plan to do.”
He said that “New Yorker’s are angry,” about the situation, and he’s angry too.
“We have not asked for this. There was never any agreement to take on the job of supporting thousands of asylum seekers,” Adams said.
And there you have it. NYC Mayor Eric Adams just declared a state of emergency over Biden’s border crisis.
They didn’t care until it hit home. Reap what you sow.pic.twitter.com/r2yS96VpWA
— Ryan Fournier (@RyanAFournier) October 7, 2022
Governor Greg Abbott (R-Texas) has vowed to continue the transports until the Biden administration secures the border.
“Sanctuary cities like New York City experience a FRACTION of what Texas border communities face every day,” Abbott tweeted Friday afternoon. “We’ll continue busing migrants to NYC, DC, & Chicago to relieve our overwhelmed border towns until Biden does his job to secure the border.”
Sanctuary cities like New York City experience a FRACTION of what Texas border communities face every day.
We'll continue busing migrants to NYC, DC, & Chicago to relieve our overwhelmed border towns until Biden does his job to secure the border.https://t.co/fVNuf6nLAm
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 7, 2022
The busing operation is “a bipartisan effort,” Fox News noted, “with the Democratic mayor of El Paso, Texas, sending more migrants to New York City than Abbott.”
The border city, which has been at the front line of the massive migrant crisis that has raged since early 2021, has so far bused over 2,500 migrants to New York City since the end of August — as well as about 150 migrants to Chicago.
In July, Gov. Abbott authorized the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety to apprehend illegal immigrants who illegally cross the border between ports of entry and return them to the border.
“The Lone Star State is doing what Biden REFUSES to — protect Texans from the influx of deadly drugs & people crossing into our state, build the wall, & secure our border,” Abbott tweeted on Thursday.
Texas National Guard helps secure the Rio Grande.
The Lone Star State is doing what Biden REFUSES to — protect Texans from the influx of deadly drugs & people crossing into our state, build the wall, & secure our border. pic.twitter.com/iB5klOBvPQ
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 7, 2022
El Paso’s Democratic Mayor Oscar Leeser has said of the fellow Democratic mayors’ criticisms, “The people are not coming to El Paso, they’re coming to America.”
Mayor Adams has used 42 hotels to house migrants, and is working on a controversial deal with Norwegian Cruise Lines for more housing.
Earlier this week, Republican Rep. Nicole R. Malliotakis, who represents Staten Island and southern Brooklyn, spoke out against the city’s plan to house migrants in hotels and cruise ships, and called on Biden to “stop this unsustainable chaos that’s placed an unfair burden on already struggling taxpayers.”