White House says assistance to New York for migrant influx depends on Congress

The White House told New York Gov. Kathy Hochul that it cannot send more assistance to the state to help with the influx of migrants, placing the blame on a lack of Congressional action.

Hochul announced Thursday that she wrote a letter to President Biden requesting executive action to help the state. She estimated that about 100,000 asylum seekers have come to the state in the last year, mostly to New York City.

“The reality is that we’ve managed thus far without substantive support from Washington, and despite the fact that this is a national, and indeed an inherently federal issue,” Hochul said. “But New York has shouldered this burden for far too long.”

The Biden administration responded by defending its actions so far, while explaining the Congressional hurdle.

“Without Congressional action, this Administration has been working to build a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system and has worked to identify ways to improve efficiencies and maximize the resources the federal government can provide to communities across the country to support the flow of migrants,” a White House spokesperson said in a statement.

“We will continue to partner with communities across the country to ensure they can receive the support they need,” the spokesperson wrote. “Only Congress can provide additional funding for these efforts, which this Administration has already requested, and only Congress can fix the broken immigration system.”

The state has earmarked over $1.5 billion to assist migrants this year. The governor said she expects that cost to rise to $4.5 billion next year and has asked for federal assistance in footing the bill.

New York City shelters have been at near capacity for months and officials have scrambled to set up temporary housing in hotels, recreation centers and school gyms. 

Mayor Eric Adams (D) has also demanded more assistance from Hochul and the federal government for months. The city has already received $140 million in federal funds to assist migrants, the largest amount for any city not on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Hochul and Adams want the federal government to speed up processing for asylum-seekers so they can work in the U.S. legally. 

The migrants have created a rift between Adams and the Biden administration which resulted in him being stripped of surrogate status for the president’s reelection team over comments deemed too critical to the president.

“While many Republicans in Congress may be holding up critical reform, the White House can help us now,” Adams said earlier this month. “The federal government must take action.”