New York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced that, in spite of his previous support for incoming migrants, the city cannot continue supporting them at the current level. Adams blames Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for purposefully sending migrants to New York to make a political statement about increasing border security.
As the bussing program progressed, Abbott and DeSantis were criticized for taking advantage of migrants in precarious conditions by sending them to unknown locations. On the initial flight from Florida to Nantucket, most of the migrants spoke little English and there was no translator on board, meaning they had no idea where they were being taken or why. Kayla Mamelak, spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams, stated “When thousands of asylum seekers arrived at Governor Abbott’s doorstep in pursuit of the American Dream, he chose to use them as political pawns.” While the New York migrants have been given accommodations by the state and charitable organizations, many are far away from families they intended to meet in Texas and are struggling to adapt to the new environment.
These accommodations include receiving rooms, food, and wifi at the Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown. They are picked up at bus stations and given a brief introduction to the city, what they should expect at the shelters, and their rights. After arriving at the Roosevelt, they are immediately provided with food and water, which is vital after the long journey. As the building became increasingly crowded, many were forced to sleep on the floor. Many migrants are happy with these accommodations, feeling that the free internet will help them find work and the large city will provide them with resources and opportunities. However, many are miles away from their family and friends in the South who were supposed to help them with their transition to American life. Many feel unsafe in the large and unfamiliar city.
Aside from the Roosevelt, many migrants lived in tents at the Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. Not only is the field far from city centers where many were hoping to find work, but the many families living there became victim to a vicious storm on December 17. While no one was harmed, a Venezuelan mother asserted that the field is simply “Not fit to live in.”
Adams argues New York is simply unequipped to deal with the influx of migrants effectively without government aid. Abbott argues that “What is going on in New York is calm and organized compared to the real chaos of what we see on the border,” however critics rebuff that Texas has not provided the same level of aid to migrants as New York has. The Biden Administration has provided $140 million to New York, but Mayor Adams has announced budget cuts to police, education, and libraries in an effort to make up for the money lost dealing with the humanitarian crisis. This has caused those previously in favor of supporting migrants to become wary, fearing that necessary municipalities will suffer.
On December 27, as a means of curbing the influx of migrants, Adams announced that charter bus companies must provide a manifest of their passengers and intended drop-off times 32 hours before arrival so that city support systems have time to prepare. However, as this would slow down their transport plans, Abbott and Desantis’ administrations have taken to dropping migrants off at New Jersey bus terminals and providing them train tickets to New York. It is estimated that the migrant transport program has cost Texas $14 million and Florida $12 million.
