New York City’s Democratic mayor Eric Adams said during an interview Wednesday that “There’s no more room” in the five boroughs to support any more asylum seekers since the arrival of roughly 40,000 illegal immigrants in 2022.
Speaking from the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C., Adams echoed his pleas to the White House and President Biden, asking them to play an active role in helping New York City accommodate the influx of immigrants.
“The White House must ensure the immediate needs, that cities that are impacted receive the support they deserve,” Adams told Politico.
The city has struggled to provide social services for the housands of newcomers who have strained local resources. In 2022, City Hall spent $366 million providing for asylum seekers, with Adams projected that the figure will rise above $2 billion in 2023.
Nevertheless, Adams reiterated a willingness to make the best of the situation in the absence of help from the federal government.
“At the same time we’re going to continue to do our moral and legal obligation. . . . Whoever comes to the city — you’re not seeing individuals sleeping on the streets with families — because we’re continuing to pivot and shift as needed,” Adams said.
Since governors in southern states decided to bus immigrants to the city, Adams has become increasingly vocal about the Biden administration’s failure to address the border crisis.
PHOTOS: Border Crisis at El Paso
On Sunday, Adams toured El Paso, Texas, a border town adjacent to Juarez, Mexico, which is a hot spot for illegal crossings.
“We’re pointing the finger at our national government,” Adams said during a press conference featuring El Paso’s Democratic mayor, Oscar Leeser.
“This is a national problem. We must have real immigration reform, and we must immediately have a short-term fix of making sure that the cost of this does not fall on our local cities,” Adams added.
The campaign to raise awareness for New York City’s struggles continued Monday when Adams told the New York Post that the border situation was a “disaster.”