Mayor Eric Adams recently expressed his disappointment with Governor Kathy Hochul’s management of the migrant crisis, marking one of his most direct critiques of the state’s leadership.
During a city law breakfast at New York Law School, Adams expressed concerns over Governor Hochul not ensuring other parts of the state share in the responsibility of sheltering asylum-seeking migrants, thereby leaving New York City to face the brunt of the issue.
Although Adams acknowledged the governor’s partnership on several fronts, including subway safety and crime, he argued that regarding the migrant influx, “I think the governor is wrong.”
Adams said, “She’s the governor of the state of New York. New York City is in that state. Every county in this state should be part of this.”
The mayor has recently pushed for a statewide directive preventing local authorities from stopping migrant arrivals.
However, Governor Hochul declined this idea, asserting that migrants shouldn’t be imposed on other counties. She further stated that the right-to-shelter mandate, which demands housing for the homeless, including migrants, only applies to the five boroughs of New York City.
Hochul clarified, “We cannot and will not force other parts of our state to shelter migrants, nor are we going to ask these migrants to move against their will.”
The unity between the governor and the mayor appears to be waning as the number of migrants in New York City exceeds 100,000. This has also caused tension with the Biden administration, with state leaders asking for more federal support.
Earlier this month, the strain between Adams and Hochul became public when Hochul’s legal representative presented a letter in court claiming the city lacked coordination and also criticized it for declining certain state resources.
Statistics from City Hall reveal that New York City currently provides for almost 60,000 migrants. With thousands more arriving weekly, the city is struggling to secure adequate emergency accommodations.
Adams stated that the situation demands strong leadership from the governor. He emphasized the significance of New York City to the state’s economy, saying if “New York [city] goes down. The entire state goes down.”
Governor Hochul, however, has emphasized the state’s efforts in managing the surge of migrants, noting the deployment of the National Guard and budgeting $1.5 billion in aid, among other measures.
In response to Mayor Adams’ comments, Hochul’s spokesperson, Avi Small, redirected to the governor’s recent speech, where she appealed for more federal assistance and emphasized the importance of aiding the new arrivals.
Small remarked, “It’s unfortunate that the mayor is choosing to point fingers at the state,” emphasizing the substantial financial support the state has provided to the city.
