Mayor Eric Adams (D) continued to lament the problems New York City is facing due to the increasing number of illegal immigrants released by Border Patrol traveling to his city as the historic crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border shows no signs of slowing down.
Adams said the significant number of people turning themselves in to law enforcement after illegally crossing the border, being processed, and then released is straining city resources.
"Everyone's block is going to be impacted by this. We have to add our advocacy with our ability to help our neighbors and we need everyone on board with this...Our schools are going to be impacted. Our healthcare system is going to be impacted. Our infrastructure is going to be impacted," Adams explained.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams on migrants being sent to NYC: "Our schools are going to be impacted. Our healthcare system is going to be impacted. Our infrastructure is going to be impacted." pic.twitter.com/IfEJi1Khgb
— Forbes (@Forbes) July 25, 2022
Adams said in a statement last week that the number of immigrants entering the city's homeless shelter system is stretching resources in that area. He further blamed Arizona and Texas for sending buses from the border to New York City, but Texas has only been sending buses from the border to Washington, D.C.
"If they need financial help, they should ask for it instead of heartlessly sending asylum seekers on their way with a one-way ticket," an Adams spokesperson said of Texas's and Arizona's governors. "In New York City, we have a legal and moral mandate to provide shelter to everyone who needs it, and will continue to fulfill that mandate, but, as we have said, we urgently need federal support to help us do so."
Border towns have long been suffering from the influx of illegal immigrants crossing since the border crisis started last week. Local charities have often had to turn away people because of a lack of space.