Republicans, particularly officials in border states, have blamed President Joe Biden’s policies for exacerbating the immigration crisis since the earliest days of his administration.
Now that deep-blue cities are being inundated with undocumented migrants, even leftist Democrats like New York City Mayor Eric Adams are beginning to point fingers at the White House for failing to take adequate action to stem the tide of illegal immigration.
In recent remarks asserting that the crisis will “destroy” New York City, Adams appeared to indirectly accuse Biden of refusing to provide federal assistance the city needs.
Instead of considering the intraparty backlash as a possible motive to rethink current policies, the White House essentially opted to blame Adams for the Big Apple’s plight.
Although the mayor’s previous endorsement of “sanctuary city” policies and promises of shelter to arriving migrants likely contributed to the influx in recent years, critics on both sides of the aisle insist that the Biden administration’s muted response to the border crisis has allowed the rate of illegal immigration to remain at or near all-time highs.
Flashback: Mayor Adams declared New York a sanctuary city in defiance of President Trump’s efforts to curb illegal immigration. Now he is crying? pic.twitter.com/jaRgdFdKDp
— Melissa Tate (@TheRightMelissa) September 7, 2023
Nevertheless, a Department of Homeland Security official shifted the onus away from the executive branch, declaring that the agency sent an “assessment team” to New York City last month and determined that the Adams administration had not adequately prepared for the arrival of tens of thousands of migrants.
“It’s not an operationally sound effort,” the unnamed official declared, claiming that city authorities had “no exit strategy” in place.
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas similarly passed the buck, citing the agency’s “significant recommendations” for New York City officials while declining to confirm that the federal government will provide any financial support to help the city meet them.
While it is true that New York has scrambled to find shelter for migrants in hotels and other structures, City Hall spokesperson Kayla Mamelak was not afraid to place much of the blame on the White House.
“We have opened more than 200 emergency shelters, have spent more than $2 billion to date, and expect to spend $5 billion this fiscal year alone without substantial aid from our state and federal partners,” she explained. “New York City has far passed its breaking point.”
When it comes to dealing with the growing problem at hand, Mamelak said that the city “cannot continue to work to solve a national crisis that the federal government has refused to take meaningful action on.”
