Mayor Adams to set out for Mexico as part of multi-stop trip to address migrants crisis
Mayor Eric Adams is setting off on his trip across Latin America with the hopes of addressing the migrant crisis at its source.
He says migrants being sold the American dream are also getting sold lies. The mayor hopes to correct any misinformation about what migrants can expect when they arrive in New York City.
"We are going to tell them that coming to New York doesn't mean that you're going to stay in a five-star hotel," he said Tuesday. "It doesn't mean that, the mere fact that you come here, that you automatically are going to be allowed to work. TPS was only given to Venezuelans."
Adams will be in Mexico City, before heading to Ecuador and Colombia. The mayor and his team plan to visit the Darién Gap, which are 66 treacherous miles of jungle connecting Central and South America.
"There is a real safety risk," Adams said. "We are aware of that. The entire team that decided to be part of this trip, they are aware of that as well."
Adams says he wants to speak with leaders, possibly the president of Colombia, to work together toward figuring out solutions to the migrant crisis.
Back home in New York City, buses filled with migrants continue to arrive and Adams says the city is at capacity.
"We're witnessing a surge now and buses are continuing to come. A lot of people think buses are the only way, but they're coming in through airports, people driving in," Adams said. "There's a body of people who are there that are giving them false hopes and false promises, he said. "We want to give people a true picture of what is here," he added.
Long lines are expected to return outside the Roosevelt Hotel with more than 400 migrants there awaiting placement and an estimated 600 arrivals daily in a new surge.
"It's not good to try to raise your children in a hotel room," said Anne Williams-Isom, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services. "And everyone seems to think that's OK, and you're asking how many more hotel rooms we're going to need."
The Adams administration has formally asked a judge to suspend the city's "right to shelter" mandate if state and city-ordered states of emergency are in place.
The Legal Aid Society released a statement in response to the city's request to the judge saying, in part, "This abhorrent and unnecessary maneuver is a betrayal of the City's commitment towards ensuring that no one is relegated to living - or dying - on the streets of our city."
The Legal Aid Society and The Coalition for the Homeless are fighting the state's request in court.
Adams is still calling for temporary protected status to be expanded to more than just Venezuelans.
He is not using taxpayer money for the trip.
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