Renowned HBO host Bill Maher, known for his self-proclaimed “old-school liberal” stance, has taken aim at progressive leaders in “woke” cities, including New York City, accusing them of hypocrisy when it comes to dealing with asylum seekers.
In his “Club Random” podcast last Sunday, Maher questioned the posturing of sanctuary cities, pointing out that they welcome migrants in theory but panic when these individuals actually arrive from overwhelmed border states.
“It’s just a good example of, ‘Could everybody just stop the posturing?'” Maher stated.
“Don’t pretend that you love migrants so much, and then when [border states] send them to you, you don’t like them. You know — you’re full of s***, and we can see that.”
Maher went on to emphasize that while these cities claim to be compassionate, the current crisis, particularly the sight of newly arrived migrants sleeping on the streets of New York, contradicts the true essence of liberalism.
“Liberalism is ‘For the sake of humanity and compassion, can we get these people off the streets?’ And woke is, ‘How dare you ask them to move! This is their home,'” he said. “No, it’s not!”
During a conversation with fellow TV personality Sharon Osbourne, Maher suggested that there must be a better solution than placing the unhoused in hotels, proposing the idea of utilizing barracks, which he believes is a more cost-effective option.
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The migrant crisis has become a pressing concern for New York City, with Mayor Eric Adams warning that neighborhoods would be affected as the city grapples with accommodating approximately 91,000 new arrivals from the border.
Earlier this year, Adams accused Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of targeting black-run cities with migrant buses, raising further tension surrounding the issue.
Maher’s critique also extended to President Biden, whom he said he would support in a hypothetical 2024 rematch against former President Donald Trump.
However, Maher expressed disappointment in Biden’s perceived lack of “competency.”
“When Biden got in, I was like, ‘Really? I thought you were that kind of guy.’ But you didn’t know how to pull out of Afghanistan. You can’t seem to, like, get a thing going on the border that’s compassionate but not stupid,” Maher lamented.
As the situation continues to evolve, Maher’s commentary serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges faced by cities, urging for pragmatic and compassionate solutions while avoiding what he perceives as performative posturing and hypocrisy.
