What are the costs of migrants to New York City? This question is being asked by both residents of New York City and outsiders. It has become very apparent that President Biden’s open border policy is quickly turning into a disaster. While President Biden’s open border policy is the main factor driving this out of control migration of tens of thousands of illegals pouring in the city monthly, local policies are also helping the problem to expand. New York City is mandated to provide a bed to all that are in need. This forces the city to spend money regardless of all other needs and services it provides to residents.
The financial costs associated with migrants in New York City are significant. The city has already spent $1.45 billion in Fiscal Year 2023 in order to provide shelter, food and other services to the tens of thousands of asylum seekers. However, as the city nears a total of 100,000 asylum seekers arriving since spring of 2022, without further support, new cost estimates based on current trends show that the city has the potential to spend upwards of $12 billion dollars over three fiscal years, 2023, 2024, 2025 without policy changes.
In addition, a report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) stated that benefits and services provided to 1.08 million illegal aliens residing in New York in 2022 amounted to $7,400,654,942. An additional $2,546,756,372 was expended on U.S.-born children of illegal aliens. The total cost of $9,947,411,314 works out to a per capita cost of $6,846. Important to note that these figures do not reflect the full impact of Biden administration policies that are resettling large numbers of migrants in New York. New York City anticipates an additional $4 billion in costs in the coming year as the result of these policies.
It is easy to see that the issue of so-called asylum seekers is a very costly one. The great unknown currently is what will be the reaction of New York residents. They already live in one of the most highly taxed cities in the United States. Will they be willing to make cuts to their current lifestyle due to being forced to pay higher taxes in order to support the migrants? The city is already experiencing higher income residents fleeing the city due to recent city tax increases. Do city officials feel they can actually raise taxes because of the migrants without creating a stampede of residents leaving, resulting in less taxes collected?
What about the political consequences of supporting migrants? Next year is an election year and city officials have already announced job cuts for city workers due to the current amount of money being spent. Will city residents and workers accept the job cuts along with the corresponding cuts in services these workers provide? How will city officials sell the idea that residents must face a lesser quality of life, so that illegal migrants can be handed a better life?
And how will the current lower income residents respond when their lifelines are cut due to lack of funding? The city already had a problem with homelessness and high poverty rates that created a housing problem. What will be the reaction of those who are citizens but are locked out of obtaining city subsidized housing while illegals are being housed in nice hotels? What rational will officials use to placate citizens who feel they are being passed over? Will they react with violence?
And how are city officials going to respond to illegals turning their noses up at tent city accommodations. The stream of migrants choosing to go to New York City has spread due by word of mouth due to the city housing migrants in nice hotels in the heart of the city. There already have been protests by migrants and activists because of attempts by the city to house them in tent cities similar to what are provided American citizens in times of natural disasters like hurricanes or floods. Seems liberal activists have no concern for the financial results of the current policies, let alone forcing the city to maintain the high level of housing and food that were provided to the earliest arrivals. These activists actions could result in further millions being spent fighting the lawsuits they initiate.
Lastly, city officials are looking to New York State officials to provide additional funding. But that could backfire on state politicians if residents of the state feel they are being shortchanged and take out their displeasure at election time. This issue is very complex. But it boils down to one main fact and that is that almost all of these illegal migrants are claiming asylum status here in the United States. But the reality is that the only issue they faced back in their home countries, was the lack of financial opportunities. They are here based on taking advantage of our country’s financial wellbeing. That may be regretful but is not a humanitarian crisis worthy of them being allowed to stay in this country. And this administration’s policy of letting them enter without a determination is wrong and reckless.
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