New York City Mayor Adams declares state of emergency over migrant crisis

New York City Mayor Adams declared on Friday a state of emergency in response to the city’s migrant crisis that is overwhelming the city’s shelter system.

“We now have a situation where more people are arriving in New York City than we can immediately accommodate, including families with babies and young children,” Adams told reporters. “Once the asylum seekers from today’s buses are provided shelter, we would surpass the highest number of people in recorded history in our city’s shelter system.”

The mayor also called for emergency state and federal aid to help handle the large influx of newcomers to the city.

"The city is going to run out of funding for other priorities," Adams said. "New York City is doing all we can, but we are reaching the outer limit of our ability to help."

With the announcement of the state of emergency, all of the city’s relevant agencies will coordinate their efforts to respond to the humanitarian crisis and build an appropriate intake center and shelter system.

More than 17,000 undocumented migrants have been bused from Texas and other border areas to the Big Apple since April. Most of the migrants are being sent by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in response to the Biden’s administration immigration policies.

The incoming migrants, who are being sent to the city without any notice or preparation, are overwhelming the city’s shelter system, which is nearing 100% capacity.

In response, the city has set up 42 hotels as emergency centers and is working to open up a large intake and shelter center, dubbed “tent city.” Additionally, more than 5,500 migrant children have been enrolled in public schools.

Adam’s expects to spend at least $1 billion by the end of the fiscal year to deal with the influx of migrants if they continue to come to the city at their current rate. Since September, five to six busloads of people are arriving in the city every day.

The state of emergency will be in effect for 30 days.