Mayor Eric Adams’ meeting with DHS Secretary Mayorkas over migrant surge results in NYC liaison

Mayor Adams met with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Thursday — who promised to send a staffer to the Big Apple to help with its relentless migrant surge, The Post has learned.

The meager offer came in response to Hizzoner pleading for months for federal help in handling the mounting crisis that’s left city shelters brimming with 56,000 migrants in their care.

Adams was joined in Washington, DC, by powerhouse leaders of New York’s delegation, including US Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, for the more than hour-long meeting with Mayorkas.

A source familiar with the Capitol Hill meeting described the New York-based DHS liaison as a way to strengthen “communication” between City Hall and the Biden administration.

“This person would be the bridge,” said the source.

A City Hall spokesperson confirmed Thursday’s meeting in a statement to The Post and said the local leaders had a “productive conversation” with Mayorkas.

“Not only did we discuss the city’s federal funding needs, we also re-emphasized how crucial it is to expedite pathways to work authorization for those who are arriving and are already here,” the spokesperson said.

“Asylum seekers arriving to our country are seeking to build the American Dream, so it’s time we finally give them a shot at it.”

In September, Adams warned that the city was “nearing its breaking point” as migrants flooded in daily from the southern border.

“We are in urgent need of help, and it’s time for our state and federal partners to act — especially those in Congress who refuse to provide the financial resources or issue temporary work authorizations necessary for these individuals to live properly,” he said at the time.

A staggering 93,200 asylum seekers have arrived in the city since last spring — with more than 2,500 still pouring in weekly.

Adams issued yet another desperate plea for help earlier this week, saying, “We have stepped up and led the nation, but this national crisis should not fall on cities alone to navigate.

The crush of newcomers has forced the city to open 192 emergency sites across the five boroughs — including two mega shelters on the Upper West Side — as it looks to open even more.

In March, there were 103 shelters, meaning 83 new facilities had to be created within five months.

“Our shelter system has doubled in size, and although it’s no longer on the front pages of our daily tabloids, we are still dealing with a silent crisis,” Adams said earlier this month. “The numbers are increasing and it’s continued to be a heavy lift for this city.”

Adult migrants are now limited to staying in city-run shelters for just 60 days, under new rules implemented last week. Roughly 100 eviction-like notices have already been issued to asylum seekers.

So far, the Biden administration has approved just $104.6 million in relief aid for New York City.
But Adams’ budget office has projected costs of $4.3 billion over the next two years, as the city scrambles to provide housing, food and other services like legal help for its newfound migrant population.

Following his visit to DC, Adams will head to Houston for the National Urban League Conference, a mere 300 miles from the US-Mexican border.

In January, Hizzoner made a surprise visit to El Paso to tour migrant shelters and border processing facilities.

President Joe Biden’s administration is poised to deploy a special Department of Homeland Security staffer to work at City Hall and help Mayor Eric Adams handle the ongoing migrant crisis.

Adams trekked to Washington DC in a desperate bid to convince the Biden administration to curb its disastrous border policy.

He’s increased pressure on the federal government, calling out Biden directly by name to secure the borders.

Even rank and file Democrats across the Empire State are backing Adams’ plea, with a group of over 50 pols signing onto a missive addressed to the White House.

“Our city is at a breaking point. We take pride in New York being a beacon of hope for immigrants, but the influx of migrants is so great that the city is running out of resources,” reads the letter sent Wednesday, headed by Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Queens) who is also of South Asian descent.

The lawmakers want Biden to declare a federal state of emergency, expedite backlogs that are lasting over six months for work authorization, stem the number of people crossing the border illegally and provide more dollars for the city to handle the influx.

Adams has complained the five boroughs are running out of space, enlisting 192 taxpayer-funded emergency hotel and shelters to house a crush of individuals that have flooded the city since the spring of 2022. Over 90,000 individuals have arrived since then, either by bus, plane, or other forms of transportation, according to City Hall.

On Wednesday, Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom announced Gov. Kathy Hochul approved plans submitted by the NYC Office of Emergency to build migrant tents on the state-owned site of the defunct Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens.

In the past, the city erected similar tent city-like operations — such as the one formerly on Randall’s Island.

They’re also housed in landmark sites, such as the famed Midtown Roosevelt Hotel.

City Hall also started handing out notices to single adult migrants who have stayed in the shelter system “the longest” giving them a heads up that in 60 day’s time, they need to either find another place to live or reapply for shelters.

Adams has said it’s a way to free up beds for families with children, as thousands continue to arrive weekly.

“We are not going to have tents and encampments on our streets,” Hizzoner declared Monday.

He’s warned he doesn’t want the Big Apple to look like San Francisco or Seattle — cities where the homeless openly camp in tents on streets.

Adams sounded the alarm on the crisis nearly a year ago, claiming there was “no room at the inn” and begging Washington to send federal, emergency funding to help Gotham.

So far, the Biden administration has approved just $104.6 million in relief aid — peanuts compared to the multi-billion dollar cost pegged by Adams’ budget office.

Recent projections from Office of Management and Budget Director Jacques Jiha estimate between housing, feeding and providing other services like legal help, the crisis is on track to eat a $4.3 billion hole into the city’s coffers over the next two years.

https://nypost.com/2023/07/27/mayor-eric-adams-meeting-with-dhs-secretary-mayorkas-over-migrant-surge-results-in-nyc-liaison/

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