New York City Mayor Eric Adams, on Tuesday’s press briefing, admitted the involvement of illegal immigrants in criminal activities in the city.
Auto Theft Surge Linked to Undocumented Migrants
Adams acknowledged a rise in auto thefts, specifically grand larceny autos (GLAs), which he connected to the city’s increasing population of undocumented migrants.
Illegal Immigrants and Crime Rate
Adams, in his first media briefing of 2024, responded to a reporter’s inquiry about his previous statements on the impact of illegal immigrants on the city’s crime rate.
Are Migrants Involved in City Crimes?
The reporter asked, “Do you believe that migrants are committing crimes here in the city, and what data are you using to back that up?”
Yes, Migrants are Committing Crimes
Adams responded, ” Do I believe that there are some migrants who are committing crimes in the city? Yes. Yes. There are people who are committing crimes in all walks of life.”
GLA Increase Not Solely Attributable to Migrants
Adams emphasized that the increase in GLAs wasn’t solely attributable to migrants. “It’s not just migrants and asylum seekers…But are there some crimes that migrants have committed? Yes, there are,” he said.
Challenging Living Conditions for Migrants
The mayor highlighted the need to understand the broader context of these crimes, suggesting that some may be driven by necessity due to the migrants’ challenging living conditions.
“Not a Good Scenario”
Adams said, “You place a person in an environment where they can’t work, can’t provide for themselves, they have to just sit around all day, that’s not a good scenario. That’s not a good scenario. And that is what we need to focus on. What environment are we creating in these cities?”
Demand for Data
When pressed for data to substantiate his claims, Adams referred to a specific “robbery pattern” identified by the police.
Some Migrants Involved in Robbery Pattern
“There was a robbery pattern…and there were some migrants who participated in that robbery pattern,” he explained, clarifying that not all such patterns in the city are linked to migrants.
Rise in City Crimes
NYPD data indicates that in October 2023, incidents of robbery, felony assault, and grand larceny auto saw an increase compared to the same period the previous year.
11.3% Increase in GLAs
According to the data, grand larceny auto increased by 11.3%, felony assault rose by 6.9%, and robbery increased by 3.5%.
Disagreement with “Right to Shelter Policy”
The briefing also touched upon NYC’s status as a sanctuary city. Adams expressed his reluctance to turn away foreign nationals but disagreed with the city’s “right to shelter” policy for the homeless.
Over 160,000 Migrants Arrived in NYC since 2022
Starting from the spring of 2022, NYC has received more than 161,000 migrants, and Adams anticipates another surge in the upcoming months.
Call to Address Ongoing Border Crisis
Mayor Adams also called on the federal government to address the ongoing border crisis.
“National Government Must Fix This Problem”
Adams said, “The national government must fix this problem. And I’m surprised our attention is not on the fact that this should not be happening to New York City, Chicago, Denver, Houston, El Paso, Brownsville, Texas. This should not be happening to cities.”
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