New York City Mayor Eric Adams is facing criticism over his horrendous management of the migrant crisis, with some labeling it as chaotic and raising doubts about his leadership, according to a feature in The New York Times. The article, titled “Chaos, fury, mistakes: 600 days inside New York’s migrant crisis,” interviewed human rights advocates and local officials regarding the city’s handling of the situation.

Adams had announced in May that the city had received over 70,000 illegal migrants, and he has consistently warned that the crisis will exacerbate budget shortfalls and cause suffering for both constituents and migrants. The mayor stated that the city has already spent more than $1 billion addressing the illegal immigration crisis and anticipates needing over $4 billion in funding.

HOSTILE HAVEN
Migrants at Bennett Field shelter face growing aggression from Brooklyn neighbors amid toxic rhetoric https://t.co/EuC9KrKLP5

Lights are up in the heights: Dyker neighborhood carries on Yule tradition pic.twitter.com/RU3LXQCxqL

— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) December 24, 2023

Critics, including Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus, claim that Adams sent two buses of illegal immigrants to his county without fulfilling his promise to provide advance notice. Other officials in upstate New York expressed frustration, stating they did not receive adequate warning before buses of illegal immigrants arrived.

The confusion and overcrowding of shelters in New York City and the state have led to protests by migrants’ families and advocates, particularly against Adams’ policy imposing a 60-day limit on stays in shelters. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has opposed Adams, restricting the mayor’s emergency power to contract for illegal immigrant services without review.

Amid the criticism, Adams’ office referred to a press conference where the mayor asserted that the responsibility for caring for the illegal immigrants arriving in the city lies with the Biden administration, not the city government. Adams claimed that the federal government instructed New York City to handle the influx of illegal immigrants, stating, “The federal government said to New York City, ‘we’re not going to do our job, you do our job. You take care of 4,000 people a week, Eric, you and your team.'”

The situation has been described as causing confusion, overcrowded shelters, and protests, with some critics questioning the effectiveness of Adams’ response to the illegal immigration crisis.