“Call for Federal and Albany Action on NYC Migrant Spending” – New York Daily News

The Adams administration announced a budget modification that could affect every aspect of New Yorkers’ lives in the near future. The budget issues include NYCHA rent arrears, city staffing problems, and spending on caring for tens of thousands of asylum seekers. City Hall’s approach to this situation has often seemed unfocused and uncreative, with a reluctance to prioritize social and legal services with a significant long-term return. Handling this was never meant to be the responsibility of the New York City government, as regulating immigration has historically been the job of the federal government. Despite the federal government’s ability to mobilize significant resources, New York City has received minimal aid to address the situation, which threatens services for all New Yorkers.

Beyond financial resources, the federal government also has a nationwide infrastructure for resettlement and the ability to speed up asylum cases and migrant integration. Additionally, the state of New York has its own budget problems, and the burden of costs on NYC is not going to help the state in the long run. If neither the federal nor state government steps in, there will be significant consequences for the city.