New York City Mayor Eric Adams offered Texas Governor Greg Abbott an eye-opening experience during his visit to the city for a Republican fundraiser; the Mayor invited Governor Abbott to stay in one of New York city’s migrant shelters, the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers (HERRCs), to see the impact of his policies firsthand. Since 2022, Abbott has been instrumental in sending thousands of migrants to New York City, a move criticized by Adams as exacerbating the city’s migrant crisis.
“I’m going to offer him a stay in one of the HERRCs, so he can see what he has created and understand how we are treating people with the dignity and respect that he should have shown,” Adams said, hoping to highlight the city’s effort to manage the situation with compassion and coordination, a stark contrast to what he perceives as Abbott’s lack of collaboration and responsibility.
Abbott’s visit is seen as more than just a fundraiser attendance; it is viewed as a strategic move reflecting the Republican Party’s stance on immigration as the U.S. gears up for presidential and congressional races. His policy of busing migrants to New York has been part of a broader political strategy to challenge northern Democratic-led cities to deal with the consequences of pro-immigration policies, a move that has not only strained resources but also ignited more vitriolic discourse.
This contentious backdrop sets the stage for Mayor Adams’ criticism of both Abbott and the federal government’s handling of immigration policies. Adams has been vocal about the need for more support from President Biden and has taken legal action against charter bus companies involved in transporting migrants to New York, seeking to hold them accountable for their role in the crisis. “Not one child or family sleeping on the streets of the city of New York and when we coordinate together we should not displace problems to local municipalities. That is not what executives do,” Adams remarked.
