Governor Hochul’s Lawyer Blasts Mayor Adams’s Handling of New York’s Migrant Crisis

Governor Kathy Hochul’s lawyer has written a scathing letter criticizing Mayor Eric Adams’s handling of New York City’s migrant crisis. The letter highlights the city’s failure to accept state offers of assistance and accuses the Adams administration of being slow to act. The lawyer also calls on the city to be more proactive and collaborative in dealing with the crisis. This exchange between the two Democratic leaders has opened up a new front in the political battle within the party. Republicans have already seized on the migrant crisis to attack Democrats ahead of the 2024 elections. The city’s requests to the state include asking for financial support to cover the cost of sheltering migrants and for the state to take more ownership of the problem by implementing a statewide relocation program. The presence of migrants in the city has become more visible and has sparked protests. The city has been ordered by a judge to provide housing to every homeless person who requests it. Governor Hochul has faced criticism for her response to the crisis, with calls for her to take a more hands-on approach. The governor’s spokesperson stated that she is grateful for the mayor’s efforts and will continue working closely with the city to provide aid and support. The state’s lawyer, Faith E. Gay, criticized the city’s slow response and failure to take advantage of existing resources and financial support. The state has already committed to spending $1.5 billion to reimburse the city for shelter costs and provide staff for migrant sites. However, the state expressed frustration at the slow documentation process and the city’s reluctance to move migrants out of the city. The city has argued that eligibility requirements are too restrictive and has asked for them to be eased. The state has offered the city the use of numerous state sites for shelters.