Diverging from some prominent figures within the Democratic Party, former President Bill Clinton has called for migrants, who are heavily utilizing services in New York City, to “commence employment, contribute to taxation, and support themselves.”
The ex-President echoed the sentiments of New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul in characterizing the influx of undocumented immigrants into the city as a “crisis.”
Clinton, who resides in the city, aligned with Hochul and Adams in asserting that New York City’s longstanding “Right to Shelter Law” should be reevaluated.
Fox News observed that the “Right to Shelter” law has been a fixture in New York City “for over 40 years and mandates shelter for the homeless.” New York City has also designated itself as a refuge and sanctuary city.
During an interview with radio host John Catsimatidis on the “The Cats Roundtable” show on 77 WABC, the former President remarked, “Governor [Kathy] Hochul believes [the ‘Right to Shelter’ law] should be adjusted, and it probably should, given the circumstances.”
“It’s flawed. We need to rectify it,” Clinton added. “[The law] doesn’t seem rational.”
Clinton criticized the current system, which poses challenges for undocumented immigrants in swiftly obtaining work permits. The existing statute, designed to regulate and control the influx of immigrants into the city, has been overwhelmed due to open-borders policies advocated by the Biden administration.
As a result, New York City officials are scrambling to find the billions required to subsidize living expenses for undocumented immigrants.
JUST IN: Former president Bill Clinton now opposes New York City being a "Sanctuary City" as the migrant crisis continues to spiral out of control.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 1, 2023
Being a virtue signaler was easy when you didn't actually have to deal with the consequences.
During an interview, Clinton argued… https://t.co/dZrCKHk2Ym
Clinton conveyed to Catsimatidis: “They arrive here, and we’re expected to provide shelter for individuals who cannot obtain work permits for six months. We must address this issue,” and explore avenues for “migrants to start supporting themselves.”
“They should engage in employment,” Clinton emphasized. “They should commence working, paying taxes, and covering their own expenses. The majority of these individuals have no desire to rely on welfare.”
The former President also put forth a proposal to discourage immigrants from journeying to New York:
“We should construct more housing just across the Rio Grande, and Mexico, I believe, would endorse that idea,” Clinton proposed. “Keep people there and admit them as expeditiously as possible if they are heading somewhere where we are certain they can secure employment and receive a warm welcome.”
The politically astute statesman acknowledged that immigration concerns could be “highly advantageous for the Republicans” as the 2024 election approaches.
Regarding the challenges linked to illegal immigration in New York City, Clinton remarked, “The Democrats experienced a loss of seats in New York due to the response to the crime issue here and a lack of a pragmatic approach to managing migrants.”
