Mayor Adams visits Texas for glimpse of migrant crisis that's pushed NYC to 'breaking point'
EL PASO, Texas (WABC) -- From the moment he landed in El Paso, Texas, New York City Mayor Eric Adams says the crisis was clear.
"I saw in the airport those who were preparing to fly to other locations -- it showed the seriousness of the moment," Adams said.
From there, he saw the migrants sleeping on the streets, the strain on the shelters, the bottleneck at the Southern border and a growing desperation among asylum seekers.
"We're going to fight so that you can experience the American dream," he said.
That was his promise to a group of migrants gathered outside a church as El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser showed him around. The response? The rattling applause.
Resources required to make that promise a reality, Adams says, simply aren't coming in quickly enough to keep up with the flood of migrants that make a bee line to New York. This is despite the number of asylum seekers coming to El Paso waning as the Supreme Court weighs Title 42.
For Adams, the method and the message is simple - echoing his calls to the feds for support - this time, calling out FEMA.
"We need a real leadership moment from FEMA. This is a national crisis. FEMA deals with national crisis. FEMA must step up," he said.
Mayor Adams says he will be in D.C. this week speaking to America Conference of Mayors -- many who are also grappling with a migrant surge.. He is raising the issue to them on how they can come up with a coordinated effort.
ALSO READ | Workers at migrant hotel in Midtown tell Eyewitness News about safety, health concerns
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