Mayor Eric Adams held a press conference on Wednesday, August 9th, and announced that the city could face an unprecedented $12 billion expense by July 2025 in response to the migrant crisis.
Over 57,000 migrants are currently in the city’s care, and close to 100,000 have arrived since last spring.
In emphasizing the gravity of the migrant situation, Mayor Adams affirmed, “We are past our breaking point.”
The city’s new projections estimate costs related to the migrant crisis of $12 billion, marking a substantial increase from the $4.3 billion previously anticipated by the end of 2024.
The Mayor said, “To meet this need, we’ll have to add $7 billion to our financial plan, and this is on top of what we have already spent on this crisis,”
Adams stated that the staggering cost associated with the migrant situation might threaten New York City’s capacity to deliver goods and services to its over 8 million residents.
Mayor Adams has called for increased state and federal assistance for months, declaring, “New Yorkers’ compassion may be limitless, but our resources are not.”
Many migrants are flocking to New York City due to its right-to-shelter policy. At the press conference, Adams said, “You come to New York City, and we are supposed to feed, clothe, and house you as long as you want.” He continued, “That is just not sustainable. It’s not realistic. So because of that, you will find that people come from all over.”
The city is spending an average of $383 per night for each migrant family, including food, shelter, medical care, and social services, costing approximately $9.8 million daily.
The budgetary impact is significant, with an estimated $5 billion needed by July 2024, followed by an additional $6 billion the next year.
The crisis now accounts for 6% of the city’s $107 billion budget, surpassing the city’s annual spending on the NYPD, the country’s largest municipal police force.
To cope with the influx of migrants, arriving weekly by the hundreds or even thousands from the Southern Border States, the city has opened more than 198 emergency shelter sites in various locations, including city buildings, commercial hotels, and temporarily converted spaces like soccer fields.
The situation has escalated in recent weeks, with instances of people sleeping on sidewalks outside converted hotels and authorities exploring additional shelter options, even in locations like Central Park.
The city’s efforts to send migrants to other parts of the state have been met with resistance from local officials.
On Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul informed the Biden Administration of the situation, leading to a planned visit by a five-person team to explore federally-owned sites as possible shelters.
