New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a stark warning on Sunday, cautioning that the city is bracing for "extremely painful" budget cuts due to the financial strain caused by illegal immigration.
In a candid interview with WPIX-TV, Adams revealed that the city's recovery efforts have been significantly hampered by an influx of "150,000 migrants and asylum seekers" anticipated in 2023.
In a bid to offset the city's mounting debts, Adams stated that "Everythings on the table," hinting at potential cuts across various sectors. However, he emphasized the city's commitment to "minimize the impact to lower-income New Yorkers, our educational institutions, our public safety, and keeping our city streets."
Adams expressed frustration at the federal government's lack of financial support, stating, "Our insurance policy was the federal government. They're not paying us." He used the metaphor of a household to illustrate the city's predicament, explaining that every aspect of the city would be affected due to the lack of federal aid.
Adams conceded that the city had "underestimated the impact of the migrant and asylum-seeker issue," which is currently affecting major cities across the country. He expressed skepticism about receiving assistance from the Biden administration, stating, "I believe that we are not seeing that.
Following a meeting with congressional leaders from the Biden administration earlier this month, Adams expressed his lack of optimism about securing federal aid to address the illegal immigration crisis plaguing New York City. He highlighted the strain on city resources due to the migrant and asylum-seeker issue, stating it was detracting from the "day-to-day services of running the city," causing frustration among residents.
Adams concluded, "It is clear that for the time being, this crisis is going to be carried by the cities," as New York City grapples with a $7 billion budget deficit, largely attributed to the federal government's policies. He left Washington DC with a grim outlook, stating, "I did not leave with optimism, I left with the cold reality that help is not on the way in the immediate future."
Last month, Adams was compelled to slash the budget for the New York City Police Department, reducing its personnel to below 30,000, a move indicative of the city's dire financial situation.
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