Mayor Adams orders social media blitz amid criticism over migrant crisis

Mayor Eric Adams is ordering all city agencies to promote a positive portrayal of his administration’s response to the migrant crisis in a highly coordinated social media blitz as he faces mounting criticism over his handling of the issue.

On Monday afternoon, city agencies were instructed to post a video that showcases the efforts of city workers involved in helping migrants apply for asylum, according to an email from the mayor’s digital strategy team that was obtained by Gothamist.

The email included sample language to use while posting. It indicated that the request came from the mayor himself and that compliance would be tracked.

The mandated social media campaign appears to mark at least the second effort by City Hall to dictate content on city government accounts, which are often used to communicate public service announcements.

Adams has sought to have tighter control over his messaging and has employed podcasts, newsletters and frequent social media posts. Just last week, he promoted his press secretary, Fabien Levy, to deputy mayor for communications, an uncommon role in City Hall. Levy was copied on the email sent to agencies on Monday.

The video the mayor's office selected appeared partly designed to counter Gov. Kathy Hochul’s criticism that the city has failed to help migrants promptly apply for asylum, hurting their ability to work legally. Adams and Hochul have been engaged in a behind-the-scenes political battle over migrant aid that spilled into public view amid a court case over the city’s right-to-shelter law.

All agencies were told to share the video by 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

“We will be reporting to the mayor who meets the deadline tomorrow,” the email said.

By Tuesday morning, more than 20 agencies – including some that have no apparent role in the migrant crisis – had posted the video, accompanied by pre-written statements touting the administration’s actions and the need for more federal help.

“New York City remains a beacon for all who come to our shores. And we will continue to uphold these values and reach out a helping hand to those in need,” read one of the messages.

The email's recipients were asked to fill out a form that would provide the mayor’s office with the names of individuals who posted the video as well as all of the platforms on which it was shared.

Adams is currently on a three-day visit to Israel. But the social media effort suggests he is highly attentive to public perceptions of the migrant crisis.

The mayor has been facing increasing backlash from communities over new shelter sites.

A Siena College poll released on Tuesday showed that 48% of city voters disapproved of the job Adams was doing in handling the influx of migrants. (Statewide, 51% disapproved of Hochul’s performance on the issue.)

The same day, “CBS Mornings” aired a feature that was critical of the city’s response. In a pre-recorded interview, a reporter pressed the mayor on why he did not use all of the potential shelter locations the state initially made available to him. Adams said many of the sites were unsuitable.

And on Monday, the New York Times reported that state Attorney General Letitia James is investigating a contractor the city hired to help care for migrants that is facing accusations of threatening and lying to them.

“The mayor has been getting tough media coverage,” said George Arzt, a political consultant who served as a press secretary to former Mayor Ed Koch. “This will help dampen that somewhat.”

Arzt said that the widespread use of social media can amplify a message more than a press conference or tour of a migrant shelter.

“Public relations doesn’t work effectively unless there's a lot of repetition,” he said.

Bill Neidhardt, a progressive political consultant who worked as a press secretary to former Mayor Bill de Blasio, said the video rightly spotlights the good work being done by public servants to help migrants but it risks over-politicizing the city’s channels of communication.

“Is this about burnishing Adams or reaching out to New Yorkers with an urgent message?” he said. “It’s a tough thing to balance.”

The coordinated use of social media platforms is not unprecedented. During the pandemic, Neidhardt said City Hall would sometimes ask city agencies to share important messages about vaccination.

However, he quickly added, “We wouldn’t give a report back” to the mayor.

Kayla Mamelak, a spokesperson for the mayor, did not directly comment when asked about the social media directive. She said in a statement that the city had served more than 100,000 migrants over the last year and that there were now more than 200 emergency shelter sites. More than 57,000 migrants are currently staying in shelters.

"As we’ve said repeatedly, this is an all-hands-on deck crisis that will impact every city agency," she said.

This story has been updated to include a statement from the mayor's office.