NYC Newcomers: Manufactured Crisis

Mayor Eric Adams is threatening budget cuts. That could have been a headline four months ago. Or a year before that.

This is what Adams tries to do – give more money to big real estate interests, give more money to the police force, give 6-figure jobs to friends/relatives/donors – and cut everywhere else.

“Migrant Crisis” is just a new opportunity for Mayor Adams. It’s just another chance to misdirect municipal dollars.

On one thing he’s almost right: there may be great harm done to New York City. But it’s his response to the arrival of migrants that will do the harm. There’s the cuts – his choice. But there’s also the nature of his response – all temporary, interim measures. No actual solutions. Short term stopgaps with long term costs. And can’t blame that entirely on Eric Adams – we need permanent dwellings – not “tent cities” – but where are the voices for real housing?

There’s nothing in the pipeline. Kathy Hochul (remember, New York State has a governor) botched an under-ambitious housing proposal this past winter/spring. And not all her fault either – suburbs went ballistic and stopped any housing from getting through the state budget. I guess you might say that some suburbanites are anti-housing – but we’d be closer to the mark by calling out their racism.

There’s another aspect of New York State response – distributing newcomers in a way that makes sense. New York City is the logical municipality to host most immigrants – but most is not the same as all. New York State has other major cities (Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany). And the NYC metropolitan area extends beyond the five boroughs – Westchester, Rockland, Nassau and Suffolk should be involved. That does not mean even distribution across the state – a few migrants in every county – rural areas and small towns will not have social services that can be ramped up – and will have far too few opportunities for new New Yorkers.

Immigrants are coming to the United States – not specifically to New York. DeSantis sent migrants to NYC to make a point, and to increase pressure on NY. He demonstrated at Guantamo callous disregard for people’s lives, and he displays it again here.

The United States government should have responsibility for migrants to the United States – pushing problems, including funding problems, onto the states reveals fundamental issues with federalism. The lack of meaningful assistance from Biden… the media says he’s unpopular – I just think he’s useless.

Much has been made of immigrants not having the right to work. I think migrants should be able to work – but I don’t know if there is legislation, or what the other implications are. I do know that NYPD probably has better things to do then take away migrants’ property.

This manufactured crisis is an opportunity for those with a racist agenda in New York. We are just removed from Lee Zeldin’s racist campaign for governor – that over-performed on Long Island, parts of Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. And perhaps more troubling, the New York Times hasn’t stopped it’s liberal hand-wringing over “crime.” And the Post. Jeez. Over the summer there was an incident involving a migrant (person unknown). The Post ran a story about the crime – with a photo of ordinary migrants – people – plain people. When a white person does something wrong – the Post does not run a photo of random white people.

Do we need to find $12billion? I don’t know the number. But there will be a cost of helping newly arrived people with food and shelter. Restrictions on work have to be thoughtfully removed. And solutions need to be permanent – not quick fixes. A fairer national funding system needs to be in place – including restoring taxes on the wealthy and large corporations – and we should not be considering cuts to schools or sanitation or transportation – or on a federal level to social security or Medicaid or Medicare.

New York City has ever been a city of immigrants. We have welcomed newcomers – or at least provided opportunity. Rather than being a burden or causing a crisis, migrants from other countries have built New York – both physically – and contributed to the rich diverse culture we have here.

New York City today must continue this tradition. People are coming here for a better life – and we should eagerly allow them to build that life here.