In the face of the escalating illegal immigration crisis in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams has proposed a bold new strategy.
According to a report by the New York Post, the mayor intends to house illegal immigrants in private residences across the city to alleviate the strain on public resources and ensure more efficient use of taxpayer funds.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Mayor Adams emphasized his vision of expanding the initiative beyond faith-based organizations and into private households. "It is my vision to take the next step to these faith-based locales and then move to a private residence," he said. He underlined the financial implications, remarking, "We can take that $4.2 billion $4.3 [billion] maybe now that we anticipate we have to spend and we can put it back in the pockets of everyday, everyday houses of worship instead of putting it in the pockets of corporations."
As the city grapples with finding accommodations for the number of illegal immigrants, the mayor's innovative plan involves housing single migrant men in "50 churches, mosques, and other houses of worship across the five boroughs," the New York Post disclosed.
According to data from the Office of Management and Budget, Mayor Adams' proposal comes at a time when the city is spending an average of $380 per night housing each illegal immigrant. In stark contrast, the new plan, placing immigrants in places of worship, would see this expenditure drop to $125 per night. "First of all, it's cheaper and it's an investment for us to go to a family and assist them instead of placing people in large congregate settings or all these emergency hotels," Adams explained.
Parallelly, the Adams administration strives to agree with the state legislature to upgrade illegal basement apartments to meet regulatory standards. This is a crucial step towards relocating illegal immigrants into private homes.
Statistics reveal that more than 72,000 illegal immigrants have flocked to New York City since last spring, with over 45,000 currently sheltered in taxpayer-funded facilities such as hotels and emergency shelters. However, the proposed approach carries a significant price tag, anticipated to exceed $4.3 billion.
The city's struggle to handle the immigration surge led Mayor Adams to declare an emergency last October. He sought $1 billion in aid from the federal government to address the crisis. Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott's decision to transport illegal immigrants to New York City, a sanctuary city, has further complicated the situation.
In response, Mayor Adams recently issued an executive order suspending New York City's "right to shelter" law, a policy designed to ensure that homeless New Yorkers always have access to a bed. He has also asked a judge to revoke the city's status as a "sanctuary city." Faced with a daily influx of immigrants, the city has been unable to meet its shelter commitments.
Meanwhile, the Adams administration has begun moving illegal immigrants currently residing in NYC to Orange County and Rockland County in Upstate New York, specifically to the city of Newburgh.
Last month, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency and sought federal aid and intervention, stating, "New York is bursting at the seams." Mayor Adams echoed her sentiment, calling the city to revoke its "sanctuary status." As the crisis deepens, these leaders face the challenge of creating innovative solutions to support the city's swelling population while responsibly managing public funds.
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