NYC biz leaders demand Biden speed up migrant work permits, take control of US border
New York City’s top business leaders demanded Monday that President Biden take full ownership of the disastrous migrant crisis by speeding up work permits for the tens of thousands of asylum seekers pouring in.
In a letter fired off to the president and members of Congress, more than 100 Big Apple execs — from JPMorgan boss Jamie Dimon to Macy’s chairman Jeff Gennette — urged Biden to get a grip on the US border and provide much-needed financial relief to cities including New York that are bearing the brunt of the national debacle.
“Immigration policies and control of our country’s border are clearly a federal responsibility; state and local governments have no standing in this matter,” said in the letter organized by the Partnership for New York City.
“The New York business community is deeply concerned about the humanitarian crisis that has resulted from the continued flow of asylum-seekers into our country,’’ the missive said.
The letter was signed by 122 high-profile executives, including Pfizer Chairman Albert Bourla, Tishman Speyer CEO Rob Speyer and Citi CEO Jane Fraser, as well as Dimon and Gennette.
But despite the flexing of the business muscle, it’s unclear what, if any, response even they will get.
The Biden administration on Monday responded to the city’s and state’s desperate pleas for help by telling the local governments what they supposedly did wrong — while vaguely promising “recommendations … as soon as possible.”
The Big Apple’s top-tier bosses said their calls for help echoed demands made by Gov. Hochul last week when she insisted the feds offer up additional cash to offset the outrageous cost of housing migrants, as well as expedite work permits.
“There are labor shortages in many US industries, where employers are prepared to offer training and jobs to individuals who are authorized to work in the United States,” the business leaders wrote.
“The business community is also providing in-kind assistance and philanthropic support to organizations that are addressing the immediate needs of this largely destitute population,’’ their letter said.
Dear President Biden and Congressional Leaders:
The New York business community is deeply concerned about the humanitarian crisis that has resulted from the continued flow of asylum-seekers into our country.
The situation is overwhelming the resources not only of the border region but of city and state governments across the nation. New York City, alone, has received more than 100,000 asylum seekers whose status is uncertain and who lack authorization to work. Increasingly, these are families with young children.
We write to support the request made by New York Governor Hochul for federal funding for educational, housing, security, and health care services to offset the costs that local and state governments are incurring with limited federal aid.
In addition, there is a compelling need for expedited processing of asylum applications and work permits for those who meet federal eligibility standards. Immigration policies and control of our country’s border are clearly a federal responsibility; state and local governments have no standing in this matter.
There are labor shortages in many U.S. industries, where employers are prepared to offer training and jobs to individuals who are authorized to work in the United States. The business community is also providing in-kind assistance and philanthropic support to organizations that are addressing the immediate needs of this largely destitute population.
Bipartisan action by Congress and the Administration is ultimately the way to resolve immigration issues, but that will take time.
In the interim, we urge you to take immediate action to better control the border and the process of asylum and provide relief to the cities and states that are bearing the burdens posed by the influx of asylum seekers.
122 business leaders signed the letter, including:
- Albert Bourla, Chairman & CEO, Pfizer Inc. and Co-Chair, Partnership for New York City
- Rob Speyer, President & CEO, Tishman Speyer and Co-Chair, Partnership for New York City
- Tim Cawley, Chairman, President & CEO, Con Edison
- Carmine Di Sibio, Global Chairman & CEO, Ernst & Young LLP
- Jamie Dimon, Chairman & CEO, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
- Catherine Engelbert, Commissioner, WNBA
- Laurence D. Fink, Chairman & CEO, BlackRock
- Jane Fraser, Chief Executive Officer, Citi
- Jeff Gennette, Chairman & CEO, Macy’s, Inc.
- Henry R. Kravis, Co-Founder & Executive Co-Chairman, KKR
- Steven Rubenstein, President, Rubenstein Communications, Inc.
- Charles Scharf, CEO & President, Wells Fargo & Company
- Stephen A. Schwarzman, Chairman, CEO & Co-Founder, Blackstone
- David M. Solomon, Chairman & CEO, Goldman Sachs
- Steven R. Swartz, President & CEO, Hearst
- Kathryn S. Wylde, President & CEO, Partnership for New York City
- Marty Burger, Chief Executive Officer, Silverstein Properties, Inc.
- Michael Houston, President, US, WPP
- Michel A. Khalaf, President & CEO, MetLife, Inc.
- Anish Melwani, Chairman & CEO, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton
- Daniel Meyer, Founder & Executive Chairman, Union Square Hospitality Group
- Michael M. Roberts, President & CEO, HSBC Bank USA
- Steven Roth, Chairman & CEO, Vornado Realty Trust
- Pamela S. Wasserstein, President, Vox Media
- Eric Zinterhofer, Founding Partner, Searchlight Capital
They noted that bipartisan action by the Biden administration and Congress was the ultimate way to resolve immigration issues — but acknowledged “that will take time.
“In the interim, we urge you to take immediate action to better control the border and the process of asylum and provide relief to the cities and states that are bearing the burdens posed by the influx of asylum seekers,” the leaders wrote.
The business leaders’ involvement in the crisis comes after Hochul and Mayor Adams have repeatedly begged the Biden administration for extra help.
More than 104,400 migrants have poured into the Big Apple since spring 2022, and 59,400 of them are currently being put up in the more than 200 city-run shelters scattered across the five boroughs.
In the White House’s dismal response to dire requests for help, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro
Mayorkas sent letters to both Adams and Hochul on Monday, telling them what issues their administrations had created.
He added that the problems were only uncovered by federal staffers.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration still won’t say who, if anyone, has been selected by the feds to specifically help New York City with its ever-worsening migrant crisis — more than a month after promising a liaison.
The pledge to appoint a point person between the federal Department of Homeland Security and Adams’ beleaguered administration was the only concrete promise extracted from the White House during Hizzoner’s trip to Washington, DC, on July 27.
