NYC Mayor Eric Adams is beside himself these days trying to figure out how to manage the constant influx of illegal migrants into his city. FAIR estimates that about 173,000 illegal migrants have come to the five boroughs of New York City in the past three years. At least 70,000 are in the care of the city government at any given time, and $12 billion has been budgeted between now and the end of Fiscal Year 2025 to pay for them all. Although Adams likes to blame Gov. Abbott of Texas for the influx, Texas has sent only about 37,500; the rest have come on their own.
Why, you ask? Just take a look at what Adams’s city offers the average “asylum seeker”:
- Housing in one of 16,000 rooms in (formerly plush, now violent and drug infested) hotels at the rate of $504/night.
- A monthly pre-paid debit card worth up to $1000 to permit the migrants to purchase foods that are “culturally appealing,” at a cost to the city of $53 million. (The recipients must promise to spend the money only on food and baby supplies. This is currently a “money-saving” pilot program for 500 migrant families. If successful, it will be extended to all.)
- Free education for their children. Last September, 20,000 migrant children enrolled in NYC schools. Public libraries around the city are being closed to pay for the new students.
- An indulgent court system, where leftwing district attorneys release suspects automatically upon arrest on their own recognizance. (A major benefit this, in that illegal migrants have caused crime to spike. NY Gov. Hochul has asked the legislature for an extra $40 million to deal with that.)
- A “sanctuary” policy that prevents local authorities from cooperating with federal officials regarding immigration law violations (in the unlikely event that any such officials could be bothered).
There are lots more perks, from both public and quasi-private, publicly funded groups. They include such welcome wagon-type freebies as free food, free cellphones, free transit passes, and free health care. Those hoodlums who attacked the NYPD officers recently discovered there are even church groups that will help you get out of town. What a country.