Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-NY, alleges that NY Gov. Kathy Hochul is prioritizing illegal immigrants, attributing the announced spending of billions to address the migrant crisis to what she perceives as “far-left” immigration policies.
“Kathy Hochul’s bloated budget adds $500 million to address New York’s raging illegal immigration crisis, a direct result of the Far Left’s failed open border and sanctuary city policies, which have rolled out the red carpet for illegal immigrants,” Stefanik, who is chair of the House Republican Conference, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
This week, Hochul revealed a $233 billion budget proposal incorporating $2.4 billion “to sustain initiatives in New York City and other parts of the state for the safe handling of the influx, accompanied by an appropriate humanitarian response.” This marks a $500 million escalation from the previous fiscal year.
“We also know that companies won’t do business in New York if there are thousands of people sleeping on the streets, where the quality of life is dramatically impacted, because the city is forced to cut essential services,” Hochul said, unveiling the proposal.
She expressed her intention to prioritize obtaining work authorizations for migrants.
“Put them to work, that’s exactly what they came here for,” she said.
She mentioned that New York bears the responsibility of providing shelter for over 69,000 migrants, with New York City being particularly affected, witnessing 160,000+ arrivals since mid-2022, including some transported by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Stefanik asserted that the crisis is a result of the “far-left.”
“While New Yorkers continue their mass exodus from New York City, Kathy Hochul’s solution is to ram through a $2.4 billion budget for FY2025 to accommodate a crisis of the Far Left’s creation, exposing New York Democrat leadership’s true priorities, putting illegal immigrants first and taxpaying New Yorkers last,” she said.
Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams attribute the crisis to the federal government. Hochul revealed plans to visit Washington D.C. this week, aiming to appeal to Congress and the White House for a border security agreement.
“Since day one, I have said this is ultimately the responsibility of the federal government to address this crisis,” Hochul said. “Congress, the House of Representatives in particular and the White House, must remain at the negotiating table until they restore the rule of law at our border, fix our asylum system, and provide relief to states like New York, who have been shouldering this burden for far too long.”
