The mayors of five Democrat-controlled metropolitans are demanding to meet with President Joe Biden to talk about the migrant crisis.
Led by Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, the five mayors penned a letter to the president late last week saying that while they appreciate the Biden administration’s efforts thus far vis-a-vis the migrant crisis, much more needs to be done.
“Thank you for your ongoing work and partnership regarding immigrants entering the United States via the Southwest Border. In particular, we, the Mayors of Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles and New York City write to share our appreciation for the supplemental appropriation you have proposed to help our communities navigate and support new arrivals, in particular the $1.4 billion identified for food, shelter and services are much needed,” the letter reads.
“This is an important step to address the humanitarian crisis impacting our cities. We are also grateful for the work you have done to expand work authorization both for Venezuelans who arrived before 7/31 and for CPB-1 entrants, which will provide those populations meaningful access to work,” it notes.
But, the letter continues, additional “action” is needed.
“While these courageous actions represent critical first steps, we believe additional action is needed and believe as the Mayors leading many of our most affected cities we can be helpful partners in identifying solutions,” it reads.
“To address this crisis without further delay, we are requesting an urgent meeting with you to directly discuss ways we can work with your administration to avoid large numbers of additional asylum seekers being brought to our cities with little to no coordination, support, or resources,” it adds.
The problem is that these mayors seem strangely unaware of the proper and best solution to this crisis, which would be for the Biden administration to secure the border.
For example, speaking with the Associated Press, Johnston suggested that all that’s needed is for the administration to grant the migrants already here work authorization.
“The crisis is we have folks here who desperately want to work. And we have employers here who desperately want to hire them. And we have a federal government that’s standing in the way of employers who want to hire employees who want to work,” he said.
And indeed, the letter to Biden explicitly calls for the administration to “dramatically increase access to work authorization,” as if that will do anything besides incentivize even more illegal migration into the United States.
The mayors, including Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, and New York City Eric Adams also predictably want more money, as if that will solve anything.
“[O]ur city budgets and local taxpayers continue to bear the brunt of this ongoing federal crisis. Cities have historically absorbed and integrated new migrants with success, but the challenges brought by the new border arrivals are due not only to the high numbers but also the diversity of nationalities, the large share arriving as families, and the overwhelming number who seek asylum,” the letter reads.
“Given the impact this crisis has had—and continues to have—on state and local budgets we respectfully advocate for additional funding. Right now, Denver is spending almost $2 million a week on shelter, New York City has surpassed $1.7 billion in spending and Chicago has spent over $320 million. Our cities need additional resources that far exceed the amount proposed in order to properly care for the asylum seekers entering our communities,” the letter continues.
Word of the letter comes days after a report emerged that NYC has set up a “reticketing center” where migrants may pick up a free one-way airplane ticket to any destination they desire.
Don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here: NYC setting up ‘reticketing center for migrants’ https://t.co/jXZHowANHx via @BIZPACReview — BPR based (@DumpstrFireNews) October 28, 2023
“With no sign of a decompression strategy in the near future, we have established a reticketing center for migrants. Here, the city will redouble efforts to purchase tickets for migrants to help them take the next steps in their journeys,” City Hall spokesperson Kayla Mamelak said in a statement Friday, according to Politico.
It’s a desperate move designed to alleviate the stress that the city is facing from the influx of so many migrants over the past couple of months. But it’s also designed to help the migrants reach their family members before winter arrives and they’re stuck out on the streets.
“I cannot say this enough. You know, we are out of the room. And it’s not ‘if’ people will be sleeping on the streets, it’s when. We are at full capacity,” Mayor Eric Adams told reporters on Tuesday, according to a transcript.
“When you are out of room, that means you’re out of room. Every year, my relatives show up for Thanksgiving, and they want to all sleep at my house. There’s no more room. That’s where we are right now,” he added.