New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Monday that she is calling in more National Guard members to help with the illegal immigrant crisis in her state.
The additional 150 members means there will be a total of 2,050 National Guardsmen helping the state manage the influx of illegal border crossers.
According to Hochul’s office, 250 National Guard members will assist with case management services, which comes after the Department of Homeland Security announced last week that nearly half-a-million Venezuelan nationals are now eligible for temporary protected status.
"Temporary protected status provides individuals already present in the United States with protection from removal when the conditions in their home country prevent their safe return," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. "That is the situation that Venezuelans who arrived here on or before July 31 of this year find themselves in. We are accordingly granting them the protection that the law provides."
In addition to helping the illegal immigrants fill out the necessary paperwork, the New York National Guard personnel are also staffing 51 hotels and two New York City Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers, according to Hochul's office.
“It is critical that we help secure work authorization for asylum seekers and migrants in New York,” Hochul said in a statement. “We need to ensure individuals can navigate the paperwork necessary to get them established here so they can work and start making their American Dream a reality. Our National Guard members play a huge role in assisting in the process and we are grateful for their service.”
I want to ensure today's migrants have the same chance our own immigrant ancestors had: To work hard, build a life, & pursue the American Dream.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) September 25, 2023
I'm in Manhattan announcing new actions to help asylum seekers & migrants get to work & help grow our economy: https://t.co/sLbG1epgf2
Conservatives blasted Hochul for spending taxpayer money to "aid and abet illegal immigration."
They’re not migrants. They’re illegal aliens whose first act in this country was to break the law, and who are beholden to drug cartels and sex trafficking monsters. You enable these crimes against humanity. You should be prosecuted for treason. https://t.co/9F4h2n397b
— Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) September 25, 2023
Breaking: @GovKathyHochul announces how she will use take dollars to aid and abet illegal immigration. https://t.co/rHhZwZudRG
— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) September 25, 2023