Mayor Adams calling on government to help with influx of asylum seekers in NYC
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Mayor Eric Adams is again calling on the Federal Government to help with the influx of asylum seekers in New York City.
The mayor held a rally outside City Hall on Sunday afternoon - calling on Congress and FEMA to do their part in dealing with the crisis at the Southern Border.
Congress recently approved 800 million dollars to help with the influx, but that's not all for New York. New York will end up spending more than that on helping asylum seekers.
Mayor Adams says while New York City needs a lot more resources, it has no intention of slowing down its help for new immigrants.
"Give me your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. Is that not who we're talking about today? This is what abettors say it's about," said New York State Assemblymember Al Taylor.
With support from elected officials, immigrant advocacy groups, and organizations helping asylum seekers from all over the world, the mayor is sending a message to the federal government that a plan is needed to support a city with a long history of supporting newcomers.
"This is the moment that's going to judge us in history as we've always done. We're going to reach the moment that's expected of us," said Mayor Adams.
Frank Jerson arrived four months ago and says the support he got in New York City allowed him to get a job.
Jerson was an engineer back in Venezuela and has already put his skills to use and is helping support family members back home.
The latest humanitarian and emergency relief center for new arrivals will be opening soon at the Brooklyn Cruise Ship terminal, which is under state control.
However, the city is calling on FEMA to come up with a longer-term solution not only for New York but also for other cities dealing with tie influx, as hundreds more continue to arrive each day.
"This is in addition to 40,000 people who have already arrived in our city. Who are in our shelters who are in our school system our healthcare system we need a federal strategy, a federal strategy that is not just put people on a bus and send them to New York City," said the Commissioner of NYC Mayor's Office Immigrant Affairs, Manuel Castro.
Mayor Adams said New York needs to be especially prepared for even more arrivals if the Supreme Court eventually allows Title 42 to expire. That is the pandemic rule imposed by the Trump Administration making it even harder to seek asylum in the United States.
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