Democratic mayors call out Biden admin over border crisis: 'This is a national problem'

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Democratic mayors blast Biden administration over border crisis

Three Democratic mayors took Biden to task over the border, homelessness and criticized the defund the police movement.

Democratic mayors in three major cities pleaded with the Biden administration to help them tackle big issues facing their city, from the border crisis to homelessness and crime.

In reports on ABC and CBS News, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called on the Biden administration do more to address the border crisis.

Adams recently said that there is "no more room in New York" for asylum seekers being sent to the city from Texas. 

"This should not happen to any city in America. This is a national problem and our national government, Congress and the White House must do a long-term comprehensive immigration policy," he told ABC's Jonathan Karl.

Democratic mayors of three major cities blast Biden administration on CBS over border, homelessness 

MAYOR ERIC ADAMS SAYS NYC HAS ‘NO MORE ROOM’ FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS

But he demanded the White House "deal with the immediate emergency we have now." 

"Congress has an obligation and a national government has the obligation that brings with it the responsibility of dealing with this immediate crisis. This is a crisis," he emphasized to CBS.

Adams also held a rally outside City Hall on Sunday calling for federal help to deal with the influx of migrants.

"It is overwhelming our infrastructure and our ability to give care to our tax-paying residents," he urged to ABC.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks during U.S. Africa leaders Summit at Department of State in Washington, Monday, Dec. 12, 2022.  (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

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However, the Democrats also put blame on Republicans like Texas Governor Greg Abbott using migrants as "political pawns" by bussing them to liberal cities like New York City. 

Adams complained about the burden the surge of migrants was having on his city.

"If it's coordinated in the proper way we could absorb it throughout the entire country, you cannot absorb it just in a few cities," he griped.

Turner also lauded the White House for steps it was taking to curb migrants at the border.

"Allowing people to apply from where they are instead of coming over I think is a significant step forward," he said. 

Martha's Vineyard, MA - September 16: Venezuelan migrants gather at the Vineyard Haven ferry terminal. The group was transported to Joint Base Cape Cod in Buzzards Bay. (Photo by Carlin Stiehl for The Boston Globe via Getty Images)  (Boston Globe)

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The trio also called on the government to do more to address crime and homelessness while blasting the "defund the police" movement.

Talking about crime to Karl, the Democrat mayors agreed public safety was their number one priority and "defunding the police" wasn't the answer.

Adams said safety was the "prerequisite to prosperity," and other issues flowed from it.

"The economy, inflation, all of that ties to [the notion that] people must be safe," he said.

"When people hear public safety, they think police," Adams, a retired police captain said. "We are saying that public safety is intervention and prevention," he touted. "We must stop feeding criminal behavior."

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

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Adams disagreed that the most vulnerable communities wanted to defund the police, saying instead they really wanted "fair policing."

Bass said cities needed more federal funding for social services to prevent homelessness and addiction. 

"What I believe is, is that over time, especially, the federal government, state and cities have divested, defunded social services," the Los Angeles mayor said. "We need to refund our communities — build out the social-safety net so that people don’t fall into crime."

"It's not about defunding the police, it’s about investing in communities," Turner agreed.

Last year, Biden told law enforcement that defunding the police was not the answer. However, White House logs showed he hosted several activists behind the left-wing movement in 2022.

Biden also visited the southern border for the first time in his presidency earlier this month after growing political pressure due to the historically high number of border crossings.