Hochul rips Biden for stalling on migrant work permits — but doesn’t call for Albany action
Gov. Kathy Hochul talked tough Wednesday, telling President Biden to “do something” to help New York get migrants work visas — but she also failed to call for an emergency legislative session for the state to confront the issue.
“I’m aware of what the White House has said. I’m saying, `It’s a federal responsibility. We need your help. Do something,’” Hochul said, when asked about the White House stance that a state can’t issue permits unilaterally — without federal approval.
Hochul would only go as far as to say “all options were on the table” when it comes to Albany action — as she stopped short of calling for lawmakers to reconvene, despite growing calls for pols to return to the capitol and solve the migrant mess.
After Hochul’s talk, Republican lawmakers accused her of dithering.
“The Biden administration is not the governor of New York State. Hochul is the governor,” said Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo (R-Staten Island).
“Instead of pointing fingers at others, Hochul should lead. Hochul should call a special session so we can pass laws to better track the migrants and audit spending,” he said.
Senate Republican Minority Minority Leader Robert Ort agreed, saying, “As the migrant crisis continues to spiral out of control, we need leadership and solutions. Unfortunately for New Yorkers, we’ve seen neither – the Governor should call the Legislature back to take action, starting with revoking the sanctuary and right to shelter policies that caused this to begin with.”
Hochul said Wednesday she was not convinced — at least at this time — that there was need for a special Albany session.
“If there were to be a session, what would be involved? We’re trying to figure that out. What would be the objective? There has to be an objective.”
“Do we take responsibility for case management and the asylum process? ….We’re talking about it.”
As for calling on Biden to “do something”, the governor was referring to the current 180-day waiting period for asylum seekers to obtain work permits. Without employment to support themselves, thousands of migrants are stuck in taxpayer-financed shelters and reliant on other government assistance to survive.
Hochul said she is considering state legislation to expedite work permits, but agreed the state can’t do anything without the federal government’s blessing, or waiver.
The problem, Hochul said, is that other states in years past have approved laws authorizing work permits for asylum workers but could not proceed without federal OK. Immigration is considered a federal responsibility.
Hochul admitted her frustration, noting she’s been talking with fellow Democrat Biden and his White House team for months about speeding up work authorization for migrants.
She sent Biden a letter as recently as last month urging “executive action” to expedite work permits.
“You need to know where I’m at. The status quo will not hold any longer,” she said.
During a White House briefing Tuesday, officials said the issuance of work permits for migrants is clearly a federal responsibility from a legal perspective, and discouraged states from acting unilaterally and claimed they can’t act without Congress.
The governor also lit into Republicans who control the House of Republicans and New York’s nine member GOP delegation, saying they have not lifted a finger to address the migrant crisis and are instead focusing on launching an impeachment investigation of Biden or blaming Democrats.
Meanwhile, Mayor Eric Adams’ office said the unrelenting influx of migrants continues.
A staggering 113,330 asylum seekers have come through New York City since last year and 59,900 are currently being sheltered or cared for in the Big Apple.
Last week alone, 3,200 migrants arrived in the city, Deputy Mayor Anne Wiliams-Isom said.
She said the city’s Asylum Seeker Application Help Center is trying to fast-track a survey of migrants in the city’s care to determine who is eligible for work authorization.
“This effort began last week and will continue over the coming weeks as we work to reach approximately 40,000 adults in our care,” Williams-Isom said.
City Hall also reported that some help is coming from the Biden Administration.
The Department of Homeland Security is assigning 50 staffers to the city to help process migrants’ applications for asylum.
Adams has said the migrant crisis will “destroy” the city without additional help from the federal and state governments to cover the enormous price tag to care for asylum seekers , which he claimed could hit $12 billion over three years.
The mayor just ordered city agencies to prepare budget cuts of up to 15% through the spring to cover a potentially massive budget gap caused in part by the migrant crisis.
The White House responded to Hochul’s comments with a long list of things they have done, such as giving New York $140 million and providing the use of Floyd Bennett Field for migrants.
It also put the blame on Congress for the lag in getting migrants to work, saying there is a 180-day waiting period for employment permits that is “a statutory requirement that only Congress can change” (their emphasis.)
