Mayor Adams: Influx of Illegal Aliens a ‘Real Burden’ on New Yorkers

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During a press conference Tuesday, Mayor Eric Adams said that the influx of illegal aliens has proven a “real burden” on New York City’s safety net and public services.

“This is a real burden on New Yorkers as we’re trying to do the right thing. We already have an overburdened shelter system. So now we’re talking about food, clothing, school. This is going to impact our schools because we do not turn away individuals because they are undocumented,” Adams said.

“Translation services. There is just a whole host of things that this is going to produce,” he added, referring to the expected negative externalities from the surge of asylum seekers arriving in the city. “We need help.”

On Tuesday, Adams petitioned the federal government to provide aid to support the city as it accommodates the large numbers of immigrants. Over 2,800 people have entered New York City’s shelter system, he said.

“Currently, New York City is experiencing a marked increase in the number of asylum seekers who are arriving from Latin America and other regions. In some instances, families are arriving on buses sent by the Texas and Arizona governments, while in other cases, it appears that individuals are being sent by the federal government,” Adams said in a prepared statement.

Adams asserted that asylum seekers have protected status, and that while they’re residing in New York City, his administration has the obligation to provide them resources.

“If we do not get these urgently needed resources, we may struggle to provide the proper level of support our clients deserve, while also facing challenges as we serve both a rapidly growing shelter population and new clients who are seeking asylum. We are calling on the federal government to partner with New York City as we help asylum seekers navigate this process, and to provide financial and technical resources,” Adams wrote.

Last month, the New York supreme court struck down a recently passed law that allowed non-citizens to vote in local elections. The “Our City, Our Vote” law would’ve given the right to vote to an estimated 800,000 adults to vote for offices, including mayor. Staten Island justice Ralph J. Porzio decided that enfranchising non-citizens with voting rights would require a referendum, according to the New York Times.

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