by Jennie Taer
New York City is expected to spend nearly $600 million to support illegal migrants over the course of one year, according to a report released Sunday by the city’s Independent Budget Office (IBO).
The city is expected to spend close to $580 million on shelter accommodations, public school, health care, legal assistance and other forms of aid, according to the IBO report. Approximately 23,000 illegal migrants have arrived in the Big Apple since April.
“In recent months, there has been a large increase in the number of asylum seekers arriving in New York City. Economic collapse, political instability, and social unrest, particularly in Venezuela but also other countries, have driven individuals and families to cross the southern border into the United States. Border state and local governments, citing the burden of hosting the growing number of asylum seekers with little assistance from the federal government, have begun offering transportation to many of these individuals and families by interstate bus and other means to other parts of the country, including New York City,” the IBO’s Assistant Director Sarah Stefanski wrote in a memorandum related to the budget prediction.
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott began busing illegal migrants from the border to New York City in August.
The predicted expenses pale in comparison to other city budget items, such as education and sanitation, which cost the city billions of dollars each year.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared a State of Emergency in early October after he said the Biden administration was unresponsive to his requests for federal support.
“I think they have been not [sic] understanding the full depth of this crisis. This is a national problem that should not fall on Washington, New York and Chicago. This is a national problem and it must have a national solution. And right now I don’t feel we received the level of immediate response that we need,” Adams told Politico at the time.
Adams and Abbott have feuded over the busing from the start. Still, Abbott defends the move as sending illegal migrants to a place designated as a “sanctuary” for them.
“New York City is the ideal destination for these migrants, who can receive the abundance of city services and housing that Mayor Eric Adams has boasted about within the sanctuary city. I hope he follows through on his promise of welcoming all migrants with open arms so that our overrun and overwhelmed border towns can find relief,” Abbott said of his effort.
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Jennie Taer is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Migrants” by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
