NYC now provides one-way plane tickets for undocumented immigrants to leave the city.
New York City has implemented a bold strategy to address the overwhelming influx of illegal immigrants. In a move that has sparked controversy, the city is now offering one-way airplane tickets to those who wish to leave. This initiative, which has been criticized by progressive politicians as “human trafficking” and “un-American” when carried out by Republican governors in border states, aims to alleviate the strain on the city’s resources.
The situation in New York City is dire, with over 130,000 illegal immigrants arriving since last April. To tackle this issue, the city has established a “reticketing center” to facilitate the transportation of these individuals out of New York. The center, located in the East Village, emphasizes that it is not a shelter but a hub solely dedicated to arranging transportation to any state or country of the immigrants’ choice.
“Attention: this is a reticketing hub! This is not a respite site or shelter,” a multilingual notice at the center reads. “There are no beds at this site. We are here to help you get transportation to any state, or country, of your convenience.”
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“When people come across the border, we have 108,000 cities and villages,” Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, said Thursday in defense of the “reticketing” strategy. “We should spread them out across the entire country, and not just New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston.”
Big Apple at Full Capacity
The urgency of this initiative is underscored by Mayor Adams’ declaration that New York City has officially reached its limit in terms of indoor shelter space for illegal immigrants. With a staggering influx of 2,500 to 4,000 new arrivals each week, the city is facing a monumental challenge. Compounding the issue, the fire department has recently closed multiple shelters due to safety concerns.
“With no sign of a decompression strategy in the near future, we have established a reticketing center for migrants,” stated Kayla Mamelak, a spokeswoman for the mayor’s office.
“Here, the city will redouble efforts to purchase tickets for migrants to help them take the next steps in their journeys, and it helps us triage operations at The Roosevelt [Hotel] for new arrivals.”
Reports indicate that some individuals have already taken advantage of the city’s offer and booked flights to faraway destinations such as Colombia and Morocco.
Prior to implementing this strategy, the Adams administration had been paying hotels in Manhattan an average of $185 per night per room to accommodate illegal immigrants. In comparison, the cost of a one-way flight from New York City to Bogotá is approximately $150, while a flight to Casablanca would cost around $400.
Mayor Adams, speaking at a recent briefing, acknowledged the overwhelming rate at which new arrivals are surpassing departures. He expressed his willingness to explore all options, including the potential establishment of tent cities in public parks, to prevent a city-wide state of chaos.
Interestingly, just a short while ago, Democratic politicians and progressive activists vehemently criticized Republican Governor Greg Abbott of Texas for employing a similar transportation tactic to alleviate the strain on border communities. They accused him of “human trafficking” and “kidnapping,” despite no evidence of any passengers being unwillingly transported.
According to recent reports, over the past 18 months, more than 40,000 individuals have been transported out of Texas and into Democrat-led “sanctuary” cities after illegally entering the United States. This includes over 11,900 illegal immigrants sent to Washington, over 14,800 to New York City, over 8,700 to Chicago, over 3,000 to Philadelphia, over 1,500 to Denver, and over 610 to Los Angeles, as per data from Governor Abbott’s office.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also faced criticism when he chartered private jets to fly illegal immigrants to California, a self-designated ”sanctuary state.” Governor Newsom of California responded furiously, denouncing DeSantis as a “small, pathetic man” and threatening him with kidnapping charges after a second planeload of illegal immigrants landed in Sacramento.
The Republican governors’ handling of the influx of illegal immigrants drew criticism from President Joe Biden, who condemned their actions as “inhumane” and “un-American.”
“Instead of working with us on solutions, Republicans are playing politics with human beings, using them as props,” stated President Biden at a September 2022 event. He expressed his disapproval after migrants arrived in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, and others were dropped off outside Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence in Washington, D.C.
‘Catastrophic Consequences’
In November 2022, Governor Abbott wrote a letter to President Biden, accusing him of inaction in the face of the escalating border crisis. The governor highlighted the catastrophic consequences of the situation, with over 2 million attempted illegal entries into the United States in the previous 12 months.
“Your inaction has led to catastrophic consequences,” wrote Governor Abbott. “Under your watch, America is suffering the highest volume of illegal immigration in the history of our country.”
He further emphasized the impact on Texans, with ranches being torn apart and homes made vulnerable to intrusion.
Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.
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D.C., and nearly 9,000 to New York City. These numbers reflect the reality of the immigration crisis and the need for innovative solutions to address it.
The decision by New York City to offer one-way airplane tickets to illegal immigrants has sparked controversy and debate. Progressive politicians have denounced it as “human trafficking” and “un-American,” but the city argues that it is a necessary step to alleviate the strain on its resources.
The situation in New York City is dire, with over 130,000 illegal immigrants arriving since last April. To tackle this issue, the city has established a ”reticketing center” in the East Village. The center’s purpose is solely to arrange transportation for immigrants to any state or country of their choice. It is important to note that the center is not a shelter but a hub dedicated to transportation logistics.
Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, defended the strategy, stating that immigrants should be spread out across the entire country rather than concentrated in
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