NYC Mayor Adams condemns 'far left' Democrats for 'doing nothing,' 'silence' on border crisis
Adams has relocated New York City's migrant tent city build to Randall's Island
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, condemned the "far left" for their "silence" on Monday regarding the border crisis as the Big Apple constructs a tent city to house the influx of migrants.
"The far right is doing the wrong thing. The far left is doing nothing. I mean the silence — I don't believe the silence that I'm hearing," Adams said at an unrelated news conference on Monday. "These are people in need of services, and I am not hearing from the two ends of the spectrum. Far right is doing what's wrong. Far left is doing nothing at all. It is time for us to address this in a unified way and that's what we are doing, this administration is doing, and we should not be doing it alone."
The press conference came before Adams’ office announced Monday night that it was relocating the city’s first humanitarian emergency response and relief center for asylum seekers from Orchard Beach, condemned for being flood prone and far from public transportation to Randall's Island.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The new location will provide temporary respite to 500 asylum seekers, the mayor’s office said.
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Eric Adams attends a student screening of "Till" during the 60th New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on October 3, 2022, in New York City. (Dominik Bindl/Getty Images)
Adams has been engaged in an ongoing public feud with Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who’s been sending buses of migrants from border communities to New York City and other "sanctuary" destinations, but this time, the Democratic mayor piled criticism on his own political party.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}His remarks came days after progressive Democrat city council members hosted a press conference outside City Hall on Friday condemning the mayor’s administration for its handling of the migrant crisis.
Councilmember Carmen De LaRosa accused Adams of hypocrisy in previously cracking down on homeless encampments while building his own tent city to house migrants. Councilmember Shahana Hanif accused Adams of "exploiting the crisis," while Councilmember Lincoln Restler claimed the mayor was flouting the 1981 right to shelter agreement, the New York Post reported.
Migrants arrive at the Port Authority bus terminal in New York on Sept. 27, 2022. (Michael Nagle/Xinhua via Getty Images)
Yet, Adams still remained mum on President Biden, who Abbott, as well as Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, criticize over what they describe as federal inaction on securing the border.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Last week, I think two days in a row we had anywhere from six to eight buses," Adams said Monday. "I don't want us to underestimate the unprecedented influx. To get 400 people come to our shelter system or come here from outside the city needing shelter back-to-back days — That flow is beyond our imagination as a city."
Migrants leave for a shelter from the Port Authority bus terminal on Sept. 27, 2022. New York City will set up and open transitory humanitarian emergency response and relief centers in the coming weeks to handle the influx of migrants. (Michael Nagle/Xinhua via Getty Images)
According to the latest figures from Abbott’s office Friday, the Texas state government has bused over 2,900 migrants to New York City since Aug. 5. Meanwhile, El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser, a Democrat, through his own operation, has reportedly bused more than 2,300 asylum seekers to the Big Apple.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Adams’ office said Monday that New York City has provided "shelter, health care, education, and a host of other services to more than 16,000 asylum seekers pursuing a better life over the last few months."