Migrant crisis will ‘destroy’ New York City, mayor says

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) said Wednesday the migrant crisis “will destroy” the city, and he reiterated his call for more state and federal help to address soaring numbers.

“This issue will destroy New York City, destroy New York City. We’re getting 10,000 migrants a month. Now again, people from all over the globe have made their minds up that they’re going to come through the southern part of the border and come into New York City,” Adams said at a town hall Wednesday evening.

Adams has repeatedly called on the Biden administration and the New York state government to help the city navigate the migrant crisis. His office said Wednesday that more than 110,000 asylum-seekers have arrived in the city since spring 2022.

New York City has already received about $140 million in federal funding for shelters, which is more than any other city not on the southwest border. The White House told New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) it cannot send more federal assistance to the state, blaming congressional hurdles for the inability.

Adams announced a new placement of a humanitarian emergency response and relief center Wednesday in Long Island City, which will first be used to provide shelter for up to 330 single men. It will eventually be expanded to house nearly 1,000 asylum-seekers when at full capacity, the announcement stated.

“With an average of more than 10,000 asylum seekers arriving in our city every month, and nearly 60,000 migrants currently in our care, New York City has stepped up to meet the challenge of this humanitarian crisis — but we need additional support to keep pace,” Adams said in a statement.

“The transition of this site into a new humanitarian relief center at Austell Place is an important next step in our efforts to do our part, but, as we’ve said month after month, only more support from our state and federal partners and real policy change in Washington will truly address this crisis,” he said.