The Democratic Governors of nine states across the country, including New York Governor Kathy Hochul, penned a letter to President Biden and Congressional leaders pleading with them to “solve the humanitarian crisis” caused by the free flow of migrants across the Southern border.
Ironically, six of those nine states consider themselves “sanctuary states” according to the Federation for Immigration Reform, or FAIR.
Those six sanctuary states that signed the letter asking the feds to solve the migrant crisis are California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.
Being a sanctuary state means federal authorities are basically blocked from finding, arresting, and prosecuting illegal immigrants.
“States and cities cannot indefinitely respond to the subsequent strain on state and local resources without Congressional action,” wrote the Governors to President Biden, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Majority Leader Mike Johnson, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Governors from three states not to be considered sanctuary states that also signed the letter were from Arizona, Maryland, and New Mexico.
They all agreed in the correspondence that the federal response to the illegal immigration crisis is not sufficient and hurting states across the country.
“It is clear our national immigration system is outdated and unprepared to respond to this unprecedented global migration,” wrote the nine state Governors.
Governor Hochul pledged to send cash strapped New York City $2.4 billion to manage the migrant crisis in her proposed 2025 Executive budget. Big Apple Mayor Eric Adams estimates the cost of managing, feeding, and housing migrants will climb to $10 billion by next year.
Hochul had previously supported bringing migrants to the Empire State, stating this on December 7th, 2021:
“We want people to come here. You are welcome with open arms. We will keep you safe. We will house you and protect you,” said Hochul when announcing the spending of $2 million in state funds to bring Afghan refugees to New York.
In an editorial, an opinion piece, The Boston Herald pointed out that the same nine Governors requesting a federal migrant bailout from President Biden are the same ones who support his policies pertaining to the Southern Border.
“Massachusetts and other blue states didn’t create the border crisis, but they have supported and continue to back Biden and his ineffectual border policies. Blue states were content to throw brickbats at Texas and others at the southern border for throwing in the towel and dispersing migrants to other states, instead of standing up to Biden and calling for substantive changes in our border policy,” wrote the Boston Herald Editorial Board.
Dear President Biden, Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell, Speaker Johnson and Minority Leader Jeffries:
As Governors representing over 100 million Americans, we write to call on Washington to work together to solve what has become a humanitarian crisis. The sustained arrival of individuals seeking asylum and requiring shelter and assistance, due to lack of Congressional action on infrastructure and policies, can only be addressed with federal organizational support and funding to meet the public safety and humanitarian needs of our local communities. With ongoing conflicts around the world, global migration is at a historic high. States and cities cannot indefinitely respond to the subsequent strain on state and local resources without Congressional action. Communities along the southern border – as well as interior states and cities across the country –lack the vast coordinated infrastructure needed to respond to the humanitarian and public safety concerns of those seeking lawful entry into the United States. America needs a federal solution that supports our economy, immigrants and fixes our immigration system.
Last year, President Biden put forward a $106 billion supplemental funding request to address immediate national security concerns, including $4.4 billion in desperately needed funding for a robust, federal migration strategy with $1.4 billion in aid to states and localities. Those funds would provide support to federal agencies for additional personnel to increase border security, add staff to accelerate processing times and eligibility determinations, and increase removal proceedings for those ineligible to stay in the United States.
While political motivations continue to delay the negotiations, our economy, states and localities are bearing the brunt of the shortcomings of the existing immigration system. Therefore, as you return to Washington to resume work on critical federal funding measures, we strongly urge Congress and the Administration to quickly negotiate an agreement on a border security legislative package that includes federal coordination and decompression at the southern and northern borders; federal funding for both border and interior states and cities receiving new arrivals; and a serious commitment to modernizing our immigration system in the United States. We believe the President’s supplemental request provides a minimum level of funding and actions that will allow the United States to begin transformational reforms to its immigration system and uphold the principles of democracy that America was built upon.
While the Biden Administration has made important progress in managing immigration at the Southwest border, the number of migrants arriving in states and cities seeking emergency shelter continues to increase at record pace. States and cities have spent billions to address inaction by Congress and match these challenges with solutions for our state and local economies. However, it is clear our national immigration system is outdated and unprepared to respond to this unprecedented global migration. Without serious reform informed by evidence- based solutions, the challenges facing states and localities will only grow.
We remain committed to working with the Administration and Congress to advance common sense solutions to fix our immigration system. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,