Hochul MIA on NYC vs. suburb migrant war: critics
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday answered critics claiming she’s done virtually nothing to help New York City’s migrant crisis by ordering up 500 more National Guardsmen and freeing up $25 million in funding.
Hochul’s team announced the moves to address the Big Apple’s dire projected $4.3 billion mess in an afternoon Zoom meeting with various county elected officials.
The governor signed the emergency order as enraged Hudson Valley officials accused her of standing idly by after New York City Mayor Eric Adams last week said he was busing migrants from the overwhelmed Big Apple to hotels in Rockland and Orange counties.
Hochul, who was not on the Zoom call, said in a release that she was making the moves ahead of Thursday’s expiring of federal Title 42, a pandemic-era regulation that has controlled the influx of migrants into the US.
More than 60,000 migrants have already flooded Gotham since spring 2022, thanks mainly to buses sent from the US-Mexico border by GOP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and even Democratic officials in El Paso, Texas.
The Texas officials have said they are protesting what they call the White House’s lax immigration policies and progressive cities such as New York that support the Democratic Biden administration.
Mayor Eric Adams told local officials last week he would begin busing scores of the migrants to Rockland and Orange counties. Paul Martinka
More than 37,000 migrants are being housed in city-run or city-funded shelters and facilities, according to local officials — a situation they have said is unsustainable and will only worsen after Thursday.
Adams said he has to relocate some migrants outside the city because the Big Apple had run out of space.
Migrants getting off a school bus that transported them to the NYPD Police Academy, where they were going to spend the night. Christopher Sadowski
Rep. Michael Lawler demanded that Adams “cease and desist’’ his plans to bus migrants outside the city. Christopher Sadowski
Hochul’s emergency order boosts the number of National Guard reservists to help handle the flow of migrants in the city by 500 — from 1,000 to 1,500.
The majority of the newly added reservists, or 300, will be activated this week, state officials said.
The reservists will help city officials manage entry points such as Manhattan’s Port Authority bus terminal, as well as processing centers and migrant shelters.
The order also will expedite the planned release of $25 million from the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to help relocate 1,200 migrant families across New York, officials said.
Three county executives on Tuesday’s Zoom call told The Post they were not told where the migrants would be going.
Immigrants sleep while being housed at the old Police Academy at East 22nd Street and 3rd Avenue in Manhattan. G.N. Miller
So far, the city has opened 122 emergency shelters and eight large humanitarian relief centers. G.N. Miller
The dough is part of the $1 billion already included for the city’s migrant crisis in the recently passed state budget.
Adams said the city budget has taken a big hit by laying out funds to process, house, feed and provide other services to migrants and complained that neither President Biden nor Albany has done enough to relieve the fiscal strain.
He has estimated the cost of caring for migrants could hit $4.3 billion by next spring.
Gov. Kathy Hochul is under fire for “basically shirking responsibility” when it comes to the migrant crisis. Hans Pennink
County officials said it’s about time a flat-footed Hochul showed leadership on a crisis that has triggered a regional war between New York City and Hudson Valley officials over where to house the unrelenting influx of migrants coming from the U.S.-Mexico border.
New York State Association of Counties Executive Director Steve Acquario told The Post earlier Tuesday that he’s begged Hochul to convene the county leaders and brief them on plans.
“We need a coordinated plan, and we need the governor to convene us. The biggest thing is no one wants to be surprised with a busload of 350 men. It needs to be a staged, coordinated plan,” Acquario said.
More than 60,000 migrants have arrived in the Big Apple since spring 2022. G.N. Miller
Over 37,000 migrants are being housed in city-run or city-funded shelters and facilities. G.N. Miller
Much of the city’s hotel space is being reserved for migrants. G.N. Miller
Some asylum seekers are being bused to Hudson Valley hotels. G.N. Miller
He noted that many suburban and upstate counties are not “sanctuary cities” that want to take in the migrants, many of whom come here illegally and then claim asylum.
“We want Hochul to brief us, talk to us. Is there a plan or is there not a plan to move tens of thousands of migrants from New York City to the rest of the state? And if so, it just can’t be you put them on a bus and send them upstate,” Acquario said.
“Clearly we need the coordination of the federal government and our governor. There are health and safety concerns of venues that are being chosen that are of concern of the upstate county leaders.”
NYC Immigration Affairs Commissioner Manuel Castro welcomes newly arrived migrants at Port Authority on May 3. Paul Martinka
Migrants arrive in NYC on May 3. Paul Martinka
Hochul’s office said in its statement Tuesday, “Since asylum seekers began arriving in New York last April, Governor Hochul has provided significant support to New York City’s efforts.
“This includes mobilizing more than 1,000 members of the National Guard to provide logistical and operational support, making a portion of the Port Authority Bus Terminal available as a welcome center for new arrivals and mobilizing MTA buses to provide transportation assistance between shelter sites.
“In addition, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance continues to provide support to New York City and all impacted areas providing shelter and other services.”
Source: New York Post
