(Marc A. Hermann / MTA)
Governor Kathy Hochul has come under fire for funneling billions of taxpayer dollars into services for illegal immigrants while defending sanctuary policies that endanger public safety. Hochul recently announced a $50 million legal defense fund for migrants fighting deportation under President Trump’s policies, part of a larger $4.3 billion allocation for illegal immigrant services approved by the Democrat-led legislature.
Republicans blasted the spending as a betrayal of New Yorkers already burdened by high taxes, pointing to horrific crimes tied to illegal immigrants, rising Medicaid liabilities projected to exceed $1.2 billion, and a local taxpayer burden in New York City estimated at $12 billion.
Public outrage has spread across social media, with residents demanding aid for homeless veterans and struggling families instead. State Senator Dean Murray accused Democrats of defying federal law by funding healthcare for undocumented immigrants, while Assemblyman Joseph DeStefano argued Democrats are deliberately creating dependency to secure future votes.
Even Democratic Mayor Eric Adams warned that the unchecked influx of migrants could “destroy New York City,” blaming both Hochul and President Biden for failing to plan or fund the response.
Meanwhile, Hochul drew national attention by defending New York City comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander, who was arrested by DHS agents for allegedly assaulting an ICE officer during a protest at immigration court. Video shows Lander physically blocking agents while demanding a judicial warrant. Hochul appeared at his side after his release, calling the arrest “a sorry day for New York and our country.”
Federal officials countered that ICE officers have faced a 413% surge in assaults and vowed to prosecute attacks on law enforcement. Lander’s arrest followed other clashes between Democrats and federal officers, including Sen. Alex Padilla, Rep. LaMonica McIver, and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, incidents that conservatives say highlight Democrats’ willingness to undermine the rule of law for political theater.
At the same time, a local investigation revealed that New York City has already spent more than $7 billion in recent years to house and care for undocumented immigrants, with costs staying high even as migrant numbers decline. The city is shutting down 50 shelters and hotels but still supports about 44,500 migrants, down from 65,000 last year.
Watchdogs note it costs $370 a day to house a migrant in hotels, compared with $207 for a homeless person in a shelter, with much of the money flowing through emergency contracts issued with little oversight.
Polls consistently show majority support for stricter enforcement, leaving Democrats on the defensive. As New York heads into the next election cycle, critics say Hochul “owns this crisis,” and voters won’t forget the soaring costs, crimes, and chaos tied to her sanctuary-first agenda.
Democrats’ push to house migrants in hotels rather than detention centers is strategic. Immigration courts move detained cases quickly, often within weeks or months, while non-detained dockets can drag on for years.
By releasing migrants into communities instead of holding them in detention, Democrats create delays that allow individuals to later claim humanitarian grounds for remaining in the U.S. due to long residence. With more than 3.5 million cases pending in immigration courts as of 2024, these delays are significant.
The political calculus leads to more congressional seats. Under Section 2 of the 14th Amendment, the U.S. census counts all persons, regardless of citizenship or legal status. This boosts representation for Democratic strongholds. Data shows immigration-driven population growth shifted 26 House seats after the 2020 census, 24 from Republican-leaning states to Democratic ones, with California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Illinois gaining the most.
Keeping migrants in the country longer also sets the stage for future political gains. After years of residence, many can apply for relief on compassionate grounds, benefit from potential amnesty or legalization programs, and eventually naturalize. In the meantime, their presence boosts Democratic power in redistricting and Electoral College allocation.
The hotel strategy therefore serves a dual purpose: slowing legal proceedings to prevent swift deportations and ensuring migrants remain long enough to be counted in the census, strengthening Democratic influence both immediately and in the long term. And New York City taxpayers are funding it.
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