Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) slammed President Joe Biden's open border policies on Wednesday, claiming the federal government was "not prepared" for the sudden influx in immigration.
Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations, admitted that border states were right in claiming it would be hard to handle an open border. Border crossings have reached record levels under Biden.
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"It was a mistake for President Biden to open the border without having a plan to handle the tremendous flow of people,” he said in the latest episode of his Matter of Fact podcast.
“President Biden had said he would do it in the campaign — but you can’t change a policy unless you have the program in place to manage the change," Cuomo said. "The Southern states were right that opening the border created a tremendous hardship for them to handle. They were right that the federal government was not prepared.”
Cuomo said that although he did not agree with conservative states sending immigrants to sanctuary cities, including New York City, the uncontrolled flow of illegal activity along the southern border has caused problems nationwide.
“The border is not just the gateway for people but for drugs,” he said. “This is on top of a homeless problem that had already strained resources in urban areas."
Cuomo also scolded his successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) for her alleged lack of leadership in the immigration crisis in New York City. Cuomo claimed there should have been a state response and not solely the city's responsibility.
More than 43,000 immigrants have arrived in New York City since last spring, according to the New York Post, with 28,400 living in 83 hotels, five “Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers," and the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.
“New York City should never have accepted responsibility on its own. The mayor should have said that New York state needed to handle the problem,” Cuomo insisted.
Cuomo suggested that the state sprinkle immigrants in different counties around the state to make the influx more manageable rather than confine them in one central city.
"State officials and legislators all proclaim they support immigration," Cuomo said. "So let them now accept the responsibility. Talk the talk, now walk the walk, house them in your neighborhood."
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In order to stem the flow of migrants at the border, Cuomo suggested the federal government increase its aid to Central American countries in exchange for them housing the migrants.
Cuomo also praised Biden's new policies that expel Cubans, Nicaraguans, Haitians, and Venezuelans who illegally enter the United States. The policy also sets up a new vetting and sponsorship process for those who want to enter the U.S. legally.