Cracking under the weight of immigrants flows into sanctuary cities, 80-year-old President Joe Biden feels the heat from big blue city mayors and governors who find budgets stretched to the breaking point managing illegal immigrants. New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul pressed the Biden administration to do more since adopting more liberal border polices since former President Donald Trump left office. Since ending Title 42 May 11, the Border Patrol no longer have Covd-19 restrictions to slow the flow of immigrants coming from the southern border, leading to the current crisis in America’s sanctuary cities. “I wrote to him [Biden] in May, so its been like four months. But I hope to find out,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Il.) said. Big city mayors like Adams want the Biden administration to cough up more funds to manage the illegal population sent from Texas and Florida.
Speaking to Fox News Sean Hannity Sept. 4, California Gov. Gavin Newsom was on the defensive explaining the decline in population, border problems, especially relating to the Mexico border. Newsom tried to cite statistics to counter Hannity’s overall message that California has cracked under the weight of liberal immigration policies, flooding the state with illegal immigrants. Hannity, of course, simply repeats GOP talking points, saying, under former President Donald Trump, things were much better. Democrats take much credit for the post-Covid-19 economic bounce where the country added some 13 million jobs, many coming back after Covid-19. Hannity was actually looking for Newsom to level with him about Democrat interest in him running for president. Newsom deferred, telling Hannity that he thought Biden was doing a goof job getting bipartisan legislation done.
When it came to immigration, Hannity got Newsom to admit he had no problem with a border wall but didn’t think it was the answer to the problem. Quibbling over the difference tin immigrations flows through the southern border from Trump or Biden didn’t go very far. Hannity tried to point to the rampant homeless population, comprised of some illegal aliens but the lion’s share are not illegal immigrants. Hitting Newsom with Los Angeles and San Francisco’s homeless crisis, Newsom told Hannity he’s dedicated some $15 billion to fixing the problems, riding heard on California’s mayors and city mangers to build-out more permanent housing. Newsom had answers for Hannity’s questions but still couldn’t explain the decline in America’s sanctuary cities with their open door immigration policies. Hannity actually looked amused watching Newsom try to defend what’s happening in California.
No one has pushed Biden to cough up more federal funding that New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “We write to support the request made by New York Gov. 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,
said the NYC Mayor’s office. Biden faces increased backlash for the fallout from his immigration policies that aren’t doing enough especially in America’s biggest sanctuary cities. White House officials are trying to speed up the permitting process to enable illegal immigrants to work legally in the U.S. In big sanctuary cities, illegal immigrants lean to play the game quickly with the help of their friends and family, all of whom work with the underground cottage industry of getting illegal immigrants fake Social Security Cards and driver licenses.
Hannity tried to tell Newsom that illegal immigration was a big drain on the federal Medicaid system, something Newsom challenged, saying, undocumented workers also make use of emergency rooms, required by federal law to treat poor people without any insurance or means of reimbursement. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] knows that it’s not legal to work in the U.S. without various visas and Green Cards. No one familiar with the on-the-ground realities think that illegal immigrants wait to wait until they’re properly processed by ICE or any other government agency. Illegal alies acquire the necessary documents to join friends-and-family in the underground world of fake IDs necessary to gainful employment in various industries. Employers routinely take Social Security, Medicare and other taxes from paychecks, without any way to reclaim benefits in the future.
Whatever frustrations expressed by sanctuary city mayors or liberal governors, they’re still likely to vote the Democrat ticket, regardless of promises by Republican politicians. Trump can talk until his blue in the face about border walls but most honest voters know there’s little that can be done to enforce the nation’s immigration laws. Hannity and Newsom mixed it up on border security, with Newsom telling Hannity he favors comprehensive immigration reform. Comprehensive immigration reform would not stop the illegal border crossings, only provide more visas and Green Cards to illegal aliens currently waiting in the wings. “We need people to have the right to work, which is an American tradition. We need an emergency declaration,” Adams said, warning that Democrats could look elsewhere in the 2004 presidential race. Adams knows that Democrats won’t back the GOP.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
