‘Let them work!’ Mayor Adams, union leaders again push White House for migrant work permits

Mayor Eric Adams is continuing to publicly call on the Biden administration to temporarily authorize work permits for the tens of thousands of migrants who have arrived in New York City over the past year.

“We need the national government to stand up,” the mayor said during a rally at Foley Square in Lower Manhattan on Thursday. “This is not a New York City issue – this is a national issue and it must be resolved as a national issue.”

Adams, who was flanked by union leaders and other city officials, warned that without these permits, migrants could fall victim to predatory working conditions while “the economic engine of the state and of the country” could meet its demise.

Tens of thousands of migrants have entered New York – a sanctuary city that guarantees shelter and certain legal protections to non-citizens – since the expiration of a pandemic-era border mandate that once slowed the arrivals.

Adams has repeatedly requested more money and support from the federal government to help with the influx of migrants. In recent months, this has included asking the White House to temporarily authorize work permits that will allow the new arrivals to work legally in the U.S.

This week, Gov. Kathy Hochul met with White House officials, who said that roughly 20% of the migrants could already sign up for work authorization, but added that few of them had taken advantage of the federal program.

The demonstration took place place a day after officials revealed that there are now more than 59,400 asylum-seekers currently in the city’s homeless shelter system as of Aug. 27. More than 10,000 people enter the shelter system each month on average. More than 3,000 people have applied for asylum – which is part of the process of getting legal work authorization in the U.S.

On Thursday, Adams and other officials led the crowd in chants of “No hate! No fear! Immigrants are welcome here!” and “Si se puede!” a Spanish-language political statement that typically translates to “Yes we can!”

Adams also admonished protesters demanding the closure of the border. Numerous protests have emerged in recent months against the placement of migrants in temporary shelters.

“Where were you when your family wanted to come here and participate in the American dream?” the mayor said Thursday. “How many people protested against your family?”

A group of migrants also took to the podium and personally pleaded with the government for work permits. The migrants – who spoke in Arabic, Spanish and English – all echoed similar statements about wanting to make a life for themselves here.

“We are here today because we need to be heard, we need to work and we need permission to work,” Daymar, an asylum-seeker from Colombia, said in Spanish. He shared that he is working to provide for his family back home.

In his speech, Adams also addressed criticism his administration has faced over its handling of the migrant crisis. This includes backlash from New Yorkers over the locations of several migrant shelter sites as well as denouncements from immigration advocates, who say the Adams administration was slow to react. Earlier this month, Gothamist reported that the mayor is pushing a coordinated social media campaign in which city officials are being told to spread positive messaging about the crisis.

“Don’t sit in the bleachers and be a detached spectator on this full contact sport called ‘asylum-seekers,’” he said. “Get on the field and fight this battle with us.”