The White House brushed off criticism on Friday concerning the wave of asylum seekers in New York, emphasizing that without legislative change, their hands were tied. This followed a plea from New York Governor, Kathy Hochul, calling for increased action on the issue.
The Biden administration is grappling with an increasing wave of migrants at the US-Mexico border, becoming a contentious issue that has attracted harsh censure from both ends of the political spectrum. The controversy over the management of the US southern border persists, creating political vulnerabilities as the 2024 presidential election nears, while Democratic local officials fret over domestic pressures.
Governor Hochul joined the fray this week, criticising the government's handling of the issue which, as she made clear, would require stronger federal involvement. In a speech delivered in Albany on Thursday, Hochul outlined the state's struggles, noting, “The reality is we’ve managed thus far without substantive support from Washington”.
In an open letter to the White House, Hochul asked President Biden for immediate steps to hasten work authorizations for asylum seekers, allocate additional financial resources for the city and state, and reserve more federal land for temporary migrant accommodation.
Hochul’s most direct plea involved her and NYC Mayor, Eric Adams, who have desperately called for expedited work authorizations for migrants and further federal financial assistance to control the crisis since July 2022.
New York City has benefited from substantial federal funding to confront the swelling numbers of migrant arrivals. The administration is also projecting to make available an additional $100 million of support in the forthcoming weeks.
Immigration advocates argue that the administration should increase the number of Venezuelans – who make up a significant percentage of the migrant arrivals in New York – that are eligible for Temporary Protected Status, a form of humanitarian-relief.
The Department of Homeland Security secretary holds the power to assign a country for Temporary Protected Status.
A White House spokesperson commented, “Without Congressional action, this Administration has been working to build a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system…" They added that only Congress could provide additional funding for these efforts, and that reform was needed for the broken immigration system.”
Meanwhile, the White House dispatched Tom Perez, the director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, to New York in an attempt to negotiate the migrant crisis. Tensions between Hochul's administration and newly elected Mayor Adams’ administration have also escalated due to this controversial issue.
Hochul asserted that she would not employ her executive powers to mandate other counties to accept asylum seekers, referring to the city’s right-to-shelter law. She also indicated that she was collaborating with the Department of Labor to connect migrants with jobs once their paperwork has been authorized by the federal government.
New York State Homeland Security Commissioner, Jackie Bray, reported a total of 2600 families applying for asylum within the past seven weeks. Hochul claimed that this plan lets asylum seekers contribute to the workforce, which is a win-win for businesses struggling to find staff.
Concluding, Hochul stated, “This is a national and a federal issue, but New York has shouldered this burden for far too long.”
