Having faced repeated refusals from the Biden administration to his requests for additional resources to tackle the migrant crisis, Mayor Eric Adams of New York City is now willing to reach out to the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. Adams disclosed that to this point, NYC has dedicated a whopping $6.4 billion to managing the ongoing dilemma.
Despite flak from certain liberal sections against Adams’ readiness to entertain discussions on border security with the forthcoming presidential administration, he remains undeterred. In fact, he has boldly told detractors to ‘cancel’ him if they disagree with his stance.
Previously, the Mayor had expressed optimism that the incoming administration under Trump could provide more support for his city, currently grappling with a rapid rise in illegal immigration and consequent surge in crime rates. This expectation, he argued, stands in stark contrast to the tepid response that his appeals received from the Biden administration.
Adams also voiced his curiosity and interest in having a meeting with Trump’s designated border czar, Tom Homan. Homan has similarly indicated his readiness to sit down with the Mayor.
Adams, during a press conference, stated his desire to engage with the border czar to comprehend his strategies and find areas of mutual consensus where they could collaborate. He added, ‘I fervently believe that the right approach is to confer with counterparts across the aisle who think differently, and to articulate and disseminate my ideas.’
Adams is specifically concentrated on addressing the issue of illegal immigrants involved in criminal activities in New York. However, he believes that those immigrants who are otherwise law-abiding, except for their unauthorized entry into the country, should not be ‘apprehended in the middle of the night.’
Adams has not hesitated to court controversy, even welcoming the public to ‘cancel’ him if they disagree with his handling of the migrant predicament.
In recent years, New York City has seen an influx of around 210,000 illegal immigrants, with the number reported as of October having significantly grown.
Adams addressed the critics and the public alike, stating, ‘By all means, go ahead and cancel me if that’s what you wish. But my priority is to ensure the safety and security of the city’s residents. If someone enters this country illegally and assumes they can jeopardize the safety of innocent New Yorkers or immigrants seeking asylum, they should not consider me the kind of mayor they want to be dealing with.’
Adams has not shied away from coordinating with the Trump administration, having been consistently denied the additional funding he has been seeking to manage the migrant crisis by the Biden administration.
On Tuesday, Adams reported that the city has already allocated $6.4 billion in dealing with the migrant crisis.