ALBANY, New York (AIEXPRESS) New York Governor Kathy Hochul has put forth a proposal to allocate $2.4 billion over the course of two years towards addressing the asylum seeker crisis in New York City. This is in addition to the approximately $2 billion that the state had already committed to last year.
During her budget presentation to the state legislature in Albany, Hochul unveiled the proposal on Tuesday morning. The budget amounts to a staggering $233 billion.
The plan includes the following:
- The government has allocated $1 billion to cover the costs associated with migrants.
- The state-funded services, including national guard presence and healthcare, will be allocated a budget of $500 million.
- The government has allocated $400 million to provide support for congregate shelters, including Floyd Bennett Field.
The governor is traveling to Washington D.C. once again on Friday to advocate for additional funding to support asylum seekers who require housing and other services. She will also be advocating for effective immigration reform.
According to Hochul, New York still bears the weight of providing shelter for over 69,000 migrants. Hochul has consistently emphasized that it is primarily the federal government’s duty to address this crisis.
Hochul urges Congress, especially the House of Representatives, and the White House to actively engage in negotiations until they restore law and order at the border, improve the asylum system, and offer assistance to states like New York, which have shouldered this responsibility for an extended period of time.
According to Mayor Eric Adams of New York City, Governor Kathy Hochul’s commitment of $2.4 billion to address the migrant crisis might be sufficient to halt the proposed 5% budget savings program (PEG) set for April and prevent any potential service cuts in the future.
According to Adams, the city has seen an influx of 170,000 migrants since spring 2022.
He mentioned that the number is more than one and a half times the population of Albany.
In a recent State of the State address, Hochul unveiled her comprehensive agenda for 2024.
The Democrat prioritized housing, public safety, and education policies in anticipation of a crucial election season in a state where the outcome of the races could impact control of Congress.
