Republicans in the state Assembly are insisting Gov. Kathy Hochul order an emergency session of Albany’s legislature to tackle the migrant crisis on Tuesday as they stood outside a Queens shelter for asylum seekers.
“This is a crisis created and exacerbated by Democrats, and they have allowed it to spiral out of control,” groused Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R-Fulton).
“Transparency, leadership, communication, and preparation have all been lacking since the outset. How much more chaos are we going to allow? This crisis has spiraled out of control. It’s time NY lawmakers take action.”
Barclay said President Biden’s administration “turned its back on New York,” it’s time for Hochul to convene a special session of the legislature to put stricter guidelines in place “before a bad situation gets even worse.”
The Assembly GOP leader was joined by Assemblyman Michael Reilly (R-Staten Island), Queens Councilwoman Vickie Paladino, and David Hirsch, a Republican candidate for Assembly in the 27th District, during a press conference outside the former St. Agnes Academic High School, which has been converted into a shelter for migrants.
“From Staten Island to Whitestone, communities across New York City are standing up to say enough is enough when it comes to this out-of-control migrant crisis,” Reilly said.
Aside from Albany taking action, Reilly said Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams must light a fire under Biden to seal the southern border — the source of the tens of thousands of migrants flooding the Big Apple.
Paladino went a step further.
“I’m saying, close the border completely! We need a moratorium. That’s the only way Republicans and Democrats can work things out,” Paladino told The Post following the press conference.
She said steps Hochul and Adams are pushing for — such as expediting approval of work permits for migrants — will only incentivize more of them to come.
“You can’t keep throwing money at the migrant crisis. It’s not going to solve the problem. You’re talking about billions and billions of dollars,” added Paladino.
“New York is the best place to come. You get free shelter and a roof over your head. You get medical coverage. Your kids go to great schools.”
Republican strategists believe their candidates can make electoral gains in New York over the migrant crisis, saying Democrats in charge of the White House, Albany, and City Hall have fumbled the issue — as they did the controversial cashless bail law.
More than 107,000 migrants have been transported to New York over the past year. Hizzoner and his top budget officials have estimated that the cost of the migrant crisis over three years could reach an eye-watering $12 billion. About 59,000 migrants are housed in over 200 city shelters, many in hotels, according to City Hall.
Hochul’s office dismissed calls for a special legislative session last week and blamed Republicans for the migrant crisis.
“Republicans should be focused on pressuring their GOP colleagues in Washington to pass meaningful immigration legislation that fixes work authorization and helps end this crisis,” said Hochul spokesman Avi Small.