Support Newly Arrived Migrants

New York has a proud legacy of offering refuge to newcomers hoping to make life better for themselves and their families. That hope is something we all share, and the promise of refuge has made our state what it is. It’s the spirit of the Emma Lazarus poem etched into Lady Liberty’s pedestal.

New York is also known for being a place where big things get done.

But too often the response and the politics at all levels of government when it comes to the many migrants arriving in New York over the last year have been cynical and small – small for a New York that should have a big heart, big ideas, and wide arms.

Leaders at the city, state, and federal levels need to come together to ensure migrants can thrive in a New York that should be a beacon for the world.

1. Mayor Adams:

Immigrants support New York in innumerable ways. Stop with your us-versus-them posturing and attempts to use migrants as a pretext to undermine the right to shelter, a decades-long fundamental right guaranteed by the State Constitution and a promise the city has made to those in the greatest need. City agencies need a robust plan to deliver truly secure housing and supportive services that migrants have a right to.

You should marshal the enormous talent and expertise our city can offer, including ensuring we meet the needs of migrant students. New York City is the wealthiest city in the world and home to dozens of government agencies, non-profit organizations with deep expertise, and legal and other service providers. We have the resources, talent, expertise and community to welcome people fleeing violence, extreme poverty, disasters, and persecution.

2. Governor Hochul:

This is not a city-versus-state issue; make further state funds and resources available immediately. You should invoke New York Executive Law 29-a or other applicable provisions of law to invalidate executive orders from counties that have refused to accept new arrivals. You should press counties and local governments to stop exclusionary policies that prevent migrants from moving freely around the state.

3. Majority Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand:

Ultimately, immigration and asylum are federal issues. New York should not go it alone. We also need you to do all you can to expedite work authorization for newly-arrived migrants. There’s a bill in Congress (H.R. 1325) that would do just that, and there are also steps the Biden Administration can take on its own to streamline the process. Migrants want to work to provide for themselves and their families, and New York needs them. But the federal government makes it far too complicated and takes far too long to grant permits. We also need you to ensure New York has access to federal resources, funds, and facilities.

New Yorkers and the whole country need your leadership to make our state stronger and to ensure migrants can thrive.