New Jersey Governor Rejects Proposal To House Migrants Amid Growing Crisis

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has voiced his opposition to accepting migrants from New York City as the Biden administration continues to grapple with the overwhelming influx of migrants. The rejection comes as the Department of Homeland Security presents recommendations to alleviate the migrant crisis in New York.

Dem Governor Murphy says NJ can't take any migrants from NYC as DHS eyes new housing locations https://t.co/52PNnWBNGJ

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During a recent interview with News 12, Murphy made it clear that New Jersey would not be able to accommodate migrants, even in Atlantic City or elsewhere within the state. He expressed concerns about the resources needed to support such a program, emphasizing the need for substantial federal assistance that goes beyond the state’s capacity.

This decision by Murphy highlights the challenges faced by the Biden administration as it struggles to deal with the increasingly complex issue of immigrants who have been arriving in large numbers since 2021. 

While New York City officials have called for federal aid, funding, and expedited work authorizations to manage the influx of over 100,000 migrants since last year, leaders from both parties are pointing to the federal government to take decisive action to curb the influx, which NYC Mayor Eric Adams called a “national issue.”

In addition to the proposed housing plan, the DHS recommendations include enhanced information collection at intake centers, a stronger focus on case management including legal services, improved communication for expediting migrant processing and clearer guidelines regarding work authorization and asylum applications.

While Adams acknowledged the DHS’s contributions, he expressed reservations about the recommendations, stating that merely opening new spaces is not a sustainable solution. 

“So, each time we open a new space, that’s not an answer. It’s not sustainable,” he said, speaking to reporters.

With an average of 10,000 people arriving each month, Adams, who has called for greater funding and greater access to work authorizations for migrants as well as a federal emergency declaration, stressed the need for a more comprehensive and effective strategy to address the root causes of the crisis.

“We need people to have the right to work, which is an American tradition. We need an emergency declaration. We need locations to deal with the overflow right now and we need funding. And so when you look at an analysis that was given, it answered none of those prevention… this is the intervention, what you saw. How do we stop this flow?” he quizzed.