Poll: New Yorkers say the influx of migrants is a 'serious problem'
NEW YORK - Embattled Congressman George Santos stood outside the migrant shelter at the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center on Tuesday, blaming Mayor Eric Adams, Democrats in Washington, and even local city council Republicans for not doing enough to slow the flow of migrants into New York City.
While a divisive figure, this frustration with the migrant crisis is growing across the state.
In the latest Siena College Poll, 82% of New Yorkers say that the recent influx of migrants is a serious problem, with more than 50% labeling it a very serious problem.
"Democrats, Republicans, Independents, upstaters, downstate, city, suburban, they all agree that this influx is a problem," Siena College Pollster Steven Greenberg explained.
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Poll: NY voters disapprove of migrant influx – and politicians' response
A majority of New York state voters polled say New Yorkers have already done enough when it comes to the migrant crisis and lawmakers should now work to slow the flow, rather than accepting new migrants.
More than 600 migrants arrived every day in New York City over the last week, according to city officials.
Protests have also been ramping up across the city, outside the shelter on Staten Island, Creedmoor and later on Tuesday at the Floyd Bennett Field.
More than 100,000 migrants have arrived in New York City since last spring. And the city is desperately still struggling to find places to house them.
"We continue to look for additional sites," New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zachary Iscol said.
The federal government has signaled it will give the state/city permission to use the Floyd Bennett field to house migrants, although the paperwork hasn’t been signed just yet.
NYC migrant crisis could cost taxpayers $12B: Mayor
Mayor Adams claims that the city will spend more on migrants than it does on the Fire, Parks and Sanitation Departments combined.
But this recent poll shows that nearly two-thirds of New York City voters support relocating migrants to upstate New York or the suburbs.
Governor Kathy Hochul has been pushing back on this proposal though and instead wants to see migrants stay at the large tent shelters in the city, citing more work opportunities.
"Scattering people all over the state does not allow us to manage the most important element of defusing this situation for the long term, which is to start the process to allow them to work," Hochul said to reporters on Monday.
However, this recent poll spells bad news for Democrats, including President Joe Biden and Mayor Eric Adams who voters say are all dropping the ball when it comes to handling the migrant crisis.
Hochul in particular has seen a drop in her job approval rating over the last 5 consecutive polls.
The migrant shelter outside the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center has been open for officially one week. This site is set up to shelter around 1,000 migrants and is now almost at capacity housing nearly 900 people.