New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday urged the Biden administration to expedite work permits for the illegal immigrants flooding his city.
Standing alongside labor union leaders, Mr. Adams rallied in Manhattan on Thursday. Inundated in recent months by over 100,000 illegal immigrants taking up the jurisdiction’s “sanctuary city” promise, Mr. Adams said they all want jobs.
Mr. Adams said the illegal immigrants arrived in New York City and “ask one question, ‘Can we work?’” However, they are not permitted under federal law.
“They are being held back from pursuing the American Dreams that generations of newcomers and New Yorkers have achieved,” Mr. Adams wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“The #AmericanDreamWorks, but only if we expedite work authorization NOW,” he added.
Mr. Adams emphasized the availability of jobs in New York City as an opportunity for skilled adult illegal immigrants as he framed his pitch to the federal government.
Critics have raised concerns about the influx of illegal immigrants filling shelters in the city, as city officials blame the Biden administration. Recently, New Yorkers protested on Staten Island about a shelter that had been opened in a former Catholic school.
Mr. Adams, who railed against the federal government on Monday for not doing more to help New York City, has maintained that illegal immigrants are welcome as he calls for federal support.
“Go into your lineage. Go see when your parents or grandparents came here,” Mr. Adams said, addressing critics who’ve protested shelters. “Imagine people saying to them, ‘There is no place for you here.’ That is wrong and that is not who we are as a city or as a country.”
The New York City Council’s leadership, who have pushed for expedited work permits for months, joined the mayor in Manhattan on Thursday. The group released a statement urging federal support “so that our newest arrivals can enter the workforce and achieve the self-sufficiency they desire.”
“As an increasing number of people seeking asylum in the United States arrive in our city, it is critical that they be permitted to work legally to support themselves, their families, and our city,” they said in the statement.
“People seeking asylum can contribute immensely to our economy, and it is imperative that we facilitate this outcome,” they added.
20 Percent of Illegal Immigrants Haven’t Applied for Permits
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul met with Biden administration officials on Wednesday to discuss support for communities housing illegal immigrants. The officials and the governor mutually agreed on strategies, according to a readout from the White House.Biden officials noted that figures show a significant portion of recent illegal immigrants in New York City are eligible to work but have not applied for work permits. Nationwide, around 16 percent of eligible working-age arrivals have applied for work authorization, according to the White House.
Of the illegal immigrants in New York, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania who entered the country via the CBP One parole program, 20 percent are eligible to work immediately if they apply, the White House officials noted.
Among the actions the Biden officials and governor agreed on is a month-long campaign in September using SMS and email to offer support to eligible illegal immigrants of working age who haven’t yet applied for a work permit.
A second action will involve requesting Congress authorize $600 million to aid with housing and services.
“As New Yorkers know, securing expedited work authorization for asylum seekers and migrants has been and remains my top priority,” Gov. Hochul said in a statement following the meeting. “It is the only way to help asylum seekers become self-sustaining, so they can move into permanent housing.
“I am especially pleased that the federal government has agreed to provide personnel, data, and resources to identify the thousands of individuals in New York who are already eligible, but have not yet applied, for work authorization,” she added.
The governor also launched a program earlier this month through the New York State Department of Labor to swiftly link illegal immigrants with job opportunities once they obtain their federal work authorization.
New York and other “sanctuary” jurisdictions have been inundated with illegal immigrants who have been transported to the Democrat-run cities and towns from overwhelmed border states, such as Texas. Leaders such as Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) have accused the Biden administration of lax border policies.
