New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul flipped her stance on the issue of migrants illegally moving to New York during a recent interview, warning migrants to “go somewhere else” just two years after welcoming them with “open arms.”
During a recent interview on CNN, the blue state governor warned that additional migrants seeking asylum in New York City will not be provided with hotel rooms since the city has reached its “limit.”
“We have to get the word out that when you come to New York, you’re not going to have more hotel rooms; we don’t have capacity,” Hochul announced during her CNN interview. “So we have to also message properly that we’re at a limit – if you’re going to leave your country, go somewhere else, but the smarter thing is to apply for asylum before you leave your country.”
Hochul’s recent statement directing migrants to “go somewhere else” contradicts the governor’s previous invitation to migrants across the world to come to New York for aid and protection.
According to The Daily Mail, over 113,000 migrants have arrived in New York City since the governor’s open invitation to migrants in 2021.
In December 2021, Hochul quoted from the inscription on the Statue of Liberty, designating New York as a state that would welcome migrants with “open arms.”
“As you know, the Statue of Liberty is inscribed. It says, give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to be free,” she said. “That statement encapsulates our values. We want people to come here, despite where they came from or despite the circumstances that drove them into this country, into this state. We say you are welcome here. You’re welcome with open arms, and we’ll work to keep you safe.”
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At the time, Hochul promised to not only house those seeking asylum in the United States but also to protect those who illegally entered the country.
She added, “Our message to the world is, ‘Send us your people, send us those who need the cloak of comfort that we can demonstrate as New Yorkers with big hearts and open arms, and we’ll provide a safe haven.'”
Hochul’s reversal on illegal immigration policy comes after New York City Mayor Eric Adams warned the unprecedented migrant issue could cost the city and the surrounding region billions over the next three years.
