from
https://thehill.com/latino/4238057-new-yorks-eric-adams-white-house-is-wrong-on-migrant-asylum-issue/

New York’s Eric Adams: White House is ‘wrong’ on migrant asylum issue
BY RAFAEL BERNAL - 10/04/23 11:40 AM ET
SHARE
TWEET
FILE - New York City Mayor Eric Adams attends a a news conference, Oct.
11, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) said Tuesday the White House is
“wrong on immigration,” reviving a line of criticism that’s become an
ongoing rift between him and the Biden administration.

In an interview with Semafor’s Ben Smith, Adams praised the Biden
administration on other issues but underscored his split on immigration.

“I think the president has done a great job, we’ve stood side by side
around crime, we stood side by side around environmental issues, but on
this issue, I believe the White House is wrong,” he said.

The former police officer has been a thorn in the administration’s side
on immigration with vocal complaints about the costs of sheltering newly
arrived migrants who often can’t legally work.

Last month, Adams signaled a thaw after the Biden administration
redesignated Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), essentially
fast-tracking work permits for more than 400,000 Venezuelans in the
United States.

Adams’s praise of the Biden administration’s move soothed concerns among
many migrant advocates who were concerned the mayor’s tough rhetoric on
immigration risked fostering threats and violence against migrants.

Protests against migrants have been escalating in some parts of New
York. In Staten Island in the past month, protesters have targeted a
school being used to house 60 migrants and have blocked a bus carrying
migrants, leading to 10 arrests.

Adams criticized those protesters, some of whom chanted, “You’re not
welcome,” saying, “If the numerical minority decide to use hateful terms
and hateful words — that is not a reflection of who the city is.”

Yet Adams, who was widely criticized for saying New York would be
“destroyed” by the costs of sheltering migrants, on Tuesday reiterated
his New Yorkers-versus-migrants vision.

Asked by Smith whether he feared alienating the Biden administration and
risking future federal funds for the city’s shelters, Adams said the
fiscal burdens are being borne by city residents.

“First of all, right now it’s coming out of the pockets of New York City
taxpayers, we need to understand that. We received a little over $100
million from the federal government, the rest is coming from New York
City taxpayers,” he said.

“And that means giving money to struggling low-income New Yorkers. All
those programs we put in place to finally allow New Yorkers to move out
of systemic poverty are now being challenged.”

Adams is due to arrive in Mexico City on Wednesday on the first leg of a
trip through Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia and Panama meant to discourage
migrants from setting their eyes on New York City.

Adams’s office did not respond to The Hill’s request for comment on the
trip.

TAGS ERIC ADAMS JOE BIDEN