Saying she needs to "level with New Yorkers" on Thursday, New York's Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul released a video slamming the Biden administration and federal government for the influx of illegal immigrants to the Empire State that, of course, ended up there due — in part at least — to New York's status as a "sanctuary state."
Lamenting the fact that "much-needed changes at the border" haven't been made and that "there does not appear to be a solution to this federal problem any time soon," Hochul sought to lay the blame for New York's overwhelmed-by-illegal-immigrants status solely at the feet of the feds.
"This crisis originated with the federal government, and it must be resolved through the federal government," Hochul said, notably seeking to evade any responsibility for the surge of illegal immigrants that have pushed New York — and especially New York City — to the breaking point.
And while Hochul may finally be right about one thing — that there's an illegal immigrant crisis stemming from the Biden administration's border and immigration policies — she entirely misses the obvious solution to stop the flow of illegal immigrants. Instead of calling on Biden to secure the border and remove individuals who illegally enter the country, Hochul calls on Biden to add even more incentives or "pull factors" for migrants to unlawfully enter the U.S.
"Since July of 2022, in our first meeting with the president, [New York City] Mayor [Eric] Adams and I have championed the idea of a federal designation that would allow the individuals already here in New York the ability to work, to support themselves and their families," Hochul said in her video message. "What we've said all along is just [illegal immigrants] work and help us out financially."
SANCTUARY STATE GOV. HOCHUL: “This [migrant] crisis originated with the federal government and it must be resolved through the federal government. [...] Help us out financially...” pic.twitter.com/57tkq6R2Mc
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) August 24, 2023
So, with proverbial hat in hand, Hochul sent a letter to Biden pleading for "help" in the form of additional rewards for illegal immigrants and money for her state. Never mind, apparently, that Hochul (and Adams) swung the Empire State's gates open to illegal immigrants by proudly declaring sanctuary status.
In her letter (full text here) Hochul makes four specific requests for executive action from Biden:
- First, the federal government must expedite work authorizations
- Second, the federal government must provide the State and the City with significant financial assistance
- Healthcare and Human Services
- Transportation
- Housing Assistance
- Education
- Third, the federal government has key facilities in the City and metropolitan area that the State and the City urgently need for temporary shelters
- Fourth, the federal government should reimburse the State for the costs of deploying the National Guard
Those National Guard costs, Hochul said in her letter, total "over $22 million per month" and are "most appropriately borne by the federal government." How convenient.
So, despite maintaining New York as a sanctuary state and telling illegal immigrants they are welcome and will be safe within its borders, Kathy Hochul has learned the hard way that abandoning any notion of border security and ending penalties for those who enter the U.S. unlawfully comes with significant consequences. Now that the open-border chickens have come home to roost in New York, she's scrambling for help from the Oval Office that created the crisis in the first place.