EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams spoke to migrants outside of Sacred Heart Church during his visit to El Paso over the weekend.
A video posted on Twitter by Adams’s Press Secretary Fabien Levy showed the mayor asking migrants if they wanted to work and experience the American Dream. Migrants could be seen raising their hands and cheering.
Adams has been calling on the federal government to expedite work authorization for asylum seekers since last year.
One woman from Venezuela says she saw the mayor and wants to go where there is work options.
“New York is an option but I could go to California or wherever there is work for us foreigners,” Lisbeth Leon said.
Leon said the New York City mayor’s visit left her hopeful.
“We’re hoping for a good proposal from the mayor of New York City for us so they can help us and give us a permit to keep moving forward,” Leon said.
However, Adams said during a press conference in El Paso on Sunday that New York City cannot take more migrants.
“New York can’t take more. We can’t as we indicated one over 800…. 3,100 a week and a half ago, but you know El Paso can’t take more,” he said.
Adams said he visited El Paso to work on creating a coordinated effort with mayors across the country.
His visit comes he had asked El Paso last year to stop busing migrants to New York City.
As we have reported, the City of El Paso is not chartering buses to New York at this time.
“We are not pointing the finger at El Paso. We are not pointing the finger at Houston. We’re pointing the finger at where it should be pointed and that’s our national government,” Adams said.
Adams called for a short-term fix to take the burden off of local cities and for immigration reform.
El Paso City Mayor Oscar Leeser commented on Adams’ goal of collaborating with mayors from different cities.
“It’s very important what Mayor Adams is doing, is a united voice of the mayors in the cities across the country because now that the federal government has seen, it’s time for them to act,” Leeser said.
