(TargetLiberty.org) – The office of New York City Mayor Eric Adams has confirmed that he is offering migrants one-way tickets to leave the city, in stark contrast to Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s approach of sending migrants to New York by bus. The administration has set up a ticketing center in the East Village to manage this program, which aims to alleviate the strain on city resources. The center was inaugurated just last week.
This decision emerges as local officials express ongoing disappointment with the federal government’s perceived lack of support in mitigating the immigration crisis. “Given the absence of a concrete plan to address the current situation, we’re focusing on helping migrants move forward in their journey,” said Kayla Mamelak, a spokesperson for City Hall. The initiative aims to facilitate the purchase of travel tickets, even for international destinations, for migrants.
The financial logic is compelling. New York City, a sanctuary city receiving an influx of more than 100,000 asylum seekers this year, is grappling with exorbitant costs. With a per-migrant daily cost of $394, the city’s expenses are projected to hit $4.7 billion for this year alone. By contrast, a one-way ticket, even an international one, is far cheaper.
Adams issued a blunt warning regarding the city’s capacity, stating that there’s “simply no more room” in New York, given that approximately 4,000 new migrants are arriving each week. Likening the situation to the seasonal family gatherings for Thanksgiving, Adams noted, “When the house is full, it’s full.”
Meanwhile, the city is pondering the idea of allowing migrants to form temporary settlements in public parks. The East Village center has a note displayed in multiple languages, clarifying that it is not a shelter but a place to secure transportation to alternative locations.
Previously, Adams’ administration has spent around $50,000 on relocating 114 migrant households within the United States and abroad, as reported by Politico. This number is considerably less than the influx of migrants coming from Texas. Murad Awawdeh of the New York Immigration Coalition criticized the administration’s approach, saying, “It’s disheartening to see this stance when immigrants have been the foundation of this city for so long.”
Nevertheless, as Adams pointed out earlier, “While our hearts are open, our resources are finite.”
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