AMAC Exclusive – By Shane Harris
Recently, a number of Democrat mayors and other left-wing officials throughout the country have criticized the Biden administration amid the flood of migrants pouring into their cities. But their comments reveal that they aren’t actually upset about the open border, and they aren’t pressuring the White House to do anything to stop the invasion – instead, they’re seeing dollar signs.
In one Democrat jurisdiction after another, mayors, governors, and local officials have turned to the influx of migrants as their next big grift. They’ve taken to demanding that the federal government send them billions more taxpayer dollars to care for the migrants the Biden administration is importing.
Ironically, some of the municipalities hardest hit by the influx of migrants since Joe Biden took office have been so-called “sanctuary cities” like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, which have pledged to harbor illegal immigrants and refused to work with law enforcement to deport them.
In Chicago, far-left Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson, who took over after former Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her re-election bid last March, has warned that city services are on the verge of collapse amid the surge in arrivals. About 15,000 migrants are currently being housed in 27 shelters across the city, with thousands more camped out on the streets. (It’s worth noting that even this is a relatively miniscule number compared to the more than 300,000 illegal aliens who crossed the border just last month.)
Johnson has directed most of his ire at Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has sent thousands of migrants to Chicago from the border via bus and plane. Despite the fact that Johnson pledged during his mayoral campaign to “live by the promise to be a sanctuary city and welcome immigrants and refugees,” he has now accused Abbott of causing “chaos” and “attacking” Chicago by sending immigrants there.
Johnson has also offered subtle criticism of the Biden administration, complaining, “Without real, significant investment from our federal government, it won’t just be the city of Chicago that won’t be able to maintain this mission.”
But the “investment” that Johnson wants isn’t funding to close the border, restart border wall construction, or reinstate Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy – instead he wants $15 billion in cold, hard cash deposited in the bank accounts of Democrat-run cities.
In an appearance on CNN, Johnson claimed that without that money, “the entire country is now at stake.” The amount is an order of magnitude greater than the $1.4 billion Biden has requested from Congress to help blue cities deal with the influx of migrants.
It’s not just Chicago looking for a hand-out. The last week of December, Johnson joined New York City Mayor Eric Adams – who has previously demanded $10 billion to “solve” the migrant crisis – and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston in urging Biden to classify the migrant crisis as a federal emergency to unlock more funds for their cities.
During a joint press conference held by the three mayors, Adams said, “We cannot continue to do the federal government’s job… We are calling for the federal declaration of emergency, financial support, and a national resettlement strategy.”
New York has been hit even harder than Chicago, with more than 160,000 migrant arrivals since Biden took office. Adams has been more explicit in his criticism of Biden, telling a group of the president’s advisors last October that there has been “no leadership” on immigration and later saying he was “baffled” by Biden’s lack of action on the issue. But Adams has similarly only demanded more federal dollars for his city, not any action to stop the flow of migrants at the border.
Denver’s Johnston added that the migrant surge “will crush city budgets around the country,” but likewise only asked for more money, not any immigration policy changes.
Democrats in Congress appear to be picking up on the trend and are pushing for more money for blue cities as well.
In an appearance on CNN on December 29, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) stated, “the problem is Congress” and urged her fellow lawmakers to allocate more money to Democrat-run sanctuary cities. “The president can’t do this by himself, he can’t just shell out money, it takes action on behalf of the House, as well as the Senate,” she said.
Crockett also explicitly said that she does not support any changes to the lax asylum laws which encourage illegal crossings by allowing virtually anyone to cross the border, claim asylum, and then stay in the country until their hearing dates, which are often years away.
Biden for his part has done his best to meet the demands of his fellow Democrats. Shortly after taking office, the president ended a Trump-era program blocking sanctuary cities from receiving certain types of federal aid, and his FY2024 budget proposal would’ve allocated $7.3 billion to the Office of Refugee Resettlement – much of which would’ve flowed directly to blue cities.
And of course, most of the money Democrat mayors are requesting would inevitably be funneled to local left-wing activist groups, many of which contribute to the very same elected officials securing federal funds for them.
For now, however, House and Senate Republicans have been able to block hand-outs on the scale of the $15 billion Chicago’s Johnson is requesting. GOP lawmakers have insisted that any funding for the border crisis be directed primarily to the border itself, not to Democrat mayors pushing for policies like mass amnesty and government welfare for illegal aliens.
For Democrat leaders, it seems, the border crisis has become just another excuse to spend billions of dollars without addressing the root problem at all.
Shane Harris is a writer and political consultant from Southwest Ohio. You can follow him on Twitter @ShaneHarris513.
In reference to the border , there are constitutional laws, border laws being vilolated every day with almost 200 congress people who have a law degree. Hello where is everybody????????? Welcome to the BANANA REPUBLIC
The national disaster at our border is purely an intentional political power play by Democrats. The Democrats are actively changing the demographics of our country by importing millions of illegal invaders, expecting millions of future grateful votes if amnesty can be granted. Even before any amnesty, some states/cities are allowing non-citizens to vote, and although such votes are not legal in a federal election, unless solid policies are in place to restrict those votes in a national election they will undoubtedly be included with no means of auditing and rejecting them.We are seeing the subversion of our nation to a one-party rule which is the dictatorship our founders tried so hard to prevent. There are no “checks and balances” when a single political party is in complete control and can’t be effectively challenged, and that is the left’s ultimate goal.
The illegal invaders that have sought refuge in the bosom of the sanctuary city of Chicago, has spilled over into my community 70 miles NW of Chicago. There is an increase in population of those who do not speak English, who ask for money, at places of business and even outside my own home. I am not confident that this malignancy of illegals is going to be easily corrected. It has spread to every neighborhood in our nation, except of course for those where the wealthiest reside,(Obamas, Biden’s, etc.) we are , shall we say, screwed.
The Democrat mayors of these cities talk only about their financial needs and not about the stupidity of open borders. If the mayors get too critical of President Biden, they will be punished. NYC’s Mayor Adams complained and soon found his chief fund raiser and himself being investigated by the Justice Department. A real threat to democracy is the use of the Justice Department to pursue political rivals. A real threat to democracy is allowing illegal aliens to flood across our border and be allowed to just go wherever they want. A real threat to democracy is the drugs, sex trafficking and child trafficking that is accompanying the migrant flood. Sure, it is easy to fall victim to the appeal of left wing nuts who say people want to come here from third-rate nations for a better life and we need to help them. Reality time comes with realization of the impact – financial costs, security risks, health risks and the big one: terrorism. These will be the legacy of Joe the Puppet President.
They create a problem then cash in by taking taxpayer dollars. What a great country for politicians, not so much for the hardworking taxpayer. Unfortunately, too many taxpayers are too busy to care what is happening to them and our country. IMO
Let’s get back to the basics. These people are not immigrants; they are illegal aliens. They know it. You know it, the administration knows it, yet nobody wants to call a spade a spade. Somewhere around 2 million of them have invaded this country since Biden took office. Not a few of them from other than Mexico or Central American countries (China, Middle Eastern countries, Russia, Iran, etc.). Many of them come with no intention of integrating into the American culture. They bring their own culture, religion, language and values, much of which contradicts what American values are about. Teddy Roosevelt said it very well when he said, in essence, “We are all immigrants, but we are first and foremost Americans”. There is a legal method of immigration. I think we need to require Congress and the rest of the administration to follow the law (what a concept)!
Anyone who writes love knows no border owes me all the tax money the federal government took from me at gun point to gun to give freebies to the illegal aliens.
Where do these Looney Tune mayors think billions for their cities will come from? Nobody has pure guts enough like Gov. Greg Abbott to stand their ground!! Enough is enough! Governors do your job, mayors, tend to your cities or step down but stop holding out your hands for our money!!!! There would be no accounting for each mayor as to how our money would be spent by these corrupt dems when there is no change seen. Give ’em a nickel and they will then want a quarter, kinda like the hoodlum Zelensky in Ukraine. We the people don’t bleed money and have no responsibility for states, cities, governors and mayors. Citizens need to think about who they vote for and the consequences that will follow. This absolutely angers me to the hilt and makes me sick!!!
The drain is circling on what was America. Thanks Brandon! The only good news is when America is a third world country, Mexico will build that wall to keep US from “migrating”!
It’s amazing to me that so many people believe that the money the government doles out is the government’s money. It is taxpayer money that is being sent to non-government organizations that make money on this invasion. There are immigration laws on the books, but Biden and his administration have ignored those laws. Biden did executive action in order to cut so many laws that President Trump had enacted. We are living in a third world country. SO sad.
Love does not infringe upon others to support them.
What about funding the states at the southern border? Do they not have the greatest burden? Texas was trying to do something about it with building a border wall – which Biden’s handlers had him stop, and also the “Stay in Mexico” requirement.
The Dems are so open about their agenda, even open about skirting or ignoring/defying actual law to get what they want — more voters for their party. And what irony would it be to take federal funds received from Republicans as well as Democrats to buy those votes?
Pathetic, sickening and NEEDS TO BE HALTED NOW!!! Angry? You bet.
Been doing so since Obama then Trump slowdown the Biden build up
Deep State aid illegals into US under Trump BUT Trump did NOT OK
They demand more money?? Under Biden’s lame policies, the US is already spending more than it’s taking in. So in reality the US has NO money. I’ve not heard or read one crat put ANY blame on who owns this mess……….Biden.
The truth of the matter is Socialist Democrats have destroyed America and the American dream and democracy of our great country!
Looks like the sanctuaries need to suck it up. Demanding more money from the feds? That’s priceless. And just where do they think it comes from? You put it out there for all to see until it hits your right between the eyes. And then we all have to listen to them cry and carry on and blame everyone else except themselves. Instead why not demand YOUR president to shut the *f* border. We are no longer a country but a cesspool of some of the worst criminals there are. And just what did these illegals have in mind when they crossed the border? Guess we’re supposed to take care of them, right? Maybe Abbot needs to bus them all to a certain home in Delaware and tell them to just make themselves at home.
Is anyone thinking that after the “immigrants” take over everything will stay the same only in different color? I do nor think so This country will be remade in the image of the hell hole from which they came There will not be America to the rescue
Ole Joe opened the border by ecxecutive order. And thereby made Texas and other border states responsible for the millions that have come across. The influx at our southern and northern borders is not the responsibility of those states that border Mexico and Canada. It is a national problem. Only ole Joe wanted to be seen as big hearted president, had no plan, he never does. And here we are millions of migrants and now he blames congress for not having enough money to handle the problem. First he opened the border, took money away at the border and elsewhere. And now he is saying give me more money so I can fix it. No Joe you created the problem, you solve it. Quit blaming Abbott for sending the migrants out of state. Not even the other 49 states wants them. They have wasted billions and billions of dollars with their makeshift solutions. Hotel costs, catering costs, tent cities, education, healthcare. Without a structured plan from the White House, except give ole Joe more money. That hasn’t solved anything. The Built Back Better bill hasn’t produced anything. The so called inflation reduction act hasn’t produced anything. Only more deficit and inflation and lined the pockets of ole Joe and his cronies. All this is a plan, sinister in nature. A coup to break America and become communistic. And break the middle class so they will be dependent on the government to live. Break their spirit and resolve. The greatest free country on earth is about to be destroyed. Freedom isn’t free and has to be fought for in order to keep it. I am paraphrasing Benjamin Franklin. Our founding fathers were smart and knew the nature of some people. Power and might is always lurking to take over. And in this young country it is happening now.
It always amazes me that these democratic leaders can be so blind to the financial situation this country is in. They must think they are immune to the disaster that is coming. I am beginning to believe the collapse of this country is inevitable.
The remedy to the open border would be to open the white house to house these people with old joe and dr. jill. That would get about the same response as when the illegals were sent to martha’s vineyard.
When a terrorist attack occurs on American soil, will we pay attention, then? Quite frankly, it is scary. It is a question of, not if, but when.
I have said from the beginning that dems don’t want the flood of illegals to stop, they just want $. But dem run sanctuary cities aren’t the ones impacted the greatest, they are, true to form, the loudest and have the msm megaphone that makes them heard. Actual border states and cities are impacted 10 to 100 times more than the crybabies in dem run cities.
Three basic requirements of a stable state: culture, language and borders. Without them, no state/country.
Where is it written that we have to feed, house, educate, give medical care, to
every SOB that presents themselves at our border ?
Chuckie Schumer will be pushing some more federal $$$ to bail out the idiotic DIMM mayors and namby-pamby McConnell will probably go along. Hopefully, the House GOP will do their JOB and let the mayors suffer the consequences of their reprobate actions!
The day will come when this Illegals terrorist will bomb kill US citizen ,then will then say “love knows no borders’
Of course Democrats want to use the illegal immigration problem to cash in on more federal tax dollars. Progressive Democrats have an even more nefarious reason for supporting open borders. While the Democrat Party has always promoted larger government control over American citizens, Progressive Democrats want to make the U.S. so bad that they can justify claiming that government needs to go full Socialist and have complete control over every aspect of the lives of American citizens, all while forcing American workers to pay for our own loss of liberty and rights.
there are laws on the books on how to stop this b.s. Now
these are Illegal Aliens.. This is Treason against Biden and the whole Libtard administration
if another 9/11 happens the Democrat Communist Party should be abolished
terminate with extreme prejudice
Why can’t these people understand that the country is broke, we don’t have money to fix their cities. They have to stop illegal immigration.
joe is using our own money to destroy us.
NO GOOD RATS, NEED TO BE LOCKED UP FOR TREASON….
So typical of the Progressive Socio Fascist Democrats. Create chaos and anarchy then have “BIG GOVERNMENT” come to the rescue to “save the day” by more spending, there by forcing all of us to shoulder the expense and further obligate us to higher taxes. Pure Despicable behaviour.
Using asylum as a loophole to open our borders to the world’s economic refugees is a direct violation of our laws. The Biden administration should be tried and convicted of nonfeasance.
EVERY marxist democrat politician MUST be removed because they openly violate Our laws and constitutional oath by following along and supporting this invasion by ILLEGALS!
Tell me how ANY Citizen and ESPECIALLY elected representatives allow this??
There is NO EXCUSE. It’s DELIBERATE destruction of OUR COUNTRY and ALL of these traitors MUST be removed from office.
WAKE UP America, it’s YOUR Faith, Family and Freedom these marxist democrats are destroying!!
THROW THEM OUT
Well…. Let’s just a wee bit more honest here for a moment..The “blue ” cities did not really see the vast influx and have not yet….and let’s compare apples to apples Chicago,Denver,NYC, have far more assets than let’s Carizo TX, or Eagle Pass, Harlingen,McAllen..yet those in the big Cities expect small town Texas who are overrun and have been for a couple of decades, continuously leaving them holding the bag…I know a lot of the influx before 2019 relocated in places in the Midwest where all the packing plants are..Omaha is now home to two Consulates one being Mexico and the other I think is Honduras….
Why don’t these American Marxist losers ask the more pertinent question, which is why are all these invaders allowed to ILLEGALLY cross our border in the first place? Hint: They are NOT all asylum seekers, regardless of what they have been taught to parrot to the Border Patrol.
I don’t think they are going to get the money. Adams has gone to Washington and came back with nothing. He and the others are shills for the deep state. They are not patriotic nor do they really care about their cities. And Chuck Schumer told me that we need these aliens to fill jobs. Where are they working? No where. They are all on the dole with food and phones. Great deal
How do these idiots get away with being so incompetent?
This is a planned strategy to turn America into California, and voting blue. Back in the 90s the GOP rightly tried to limit illegal migration but were cast as “racist” by Dems. It’s important we learn from that lesson and beware of our rhetoric. As a Republican, I’ve always maintained that we should welcome legal immigration, where each immigrant needs to be sponsored. If they can’t be sponsored by a business, organization, or individual, then we can’t afford to take them. Tax payers did not vote to fund unlimited migration out of their already in-debt pockets. Perhaps the DNC should put their resources towards sponsoring migrants?
Republicans in Congress should craft a bill offering assistance to the State of Texas. Of course all federal money comes with strings attached, and in this case, the money could only be used to transport illegal aliens from Texas to Blue cities like New York, Chicago, LA, and Seattle.
It’s almost comical when we see the communist/democrats back peddling and crying the blues because all the “immigrants” (that they welcomed in) are overwhelming their cities. They thought just turning against common sense and republican policies would get them a free card to more votes. They are finding out their love for illegals might just be the end of their sanctuary cities. The republicans must fight and stop the next round of free money that the communist/democrats want to unleash for the sake of their agenda. Don’t let the media convince you through their “heart warming stories” that what we should do for all the illegals invading our country is somehow good for us all. When America is no more, what nation do you think will be the next sugar daddy for whoever wants to come across the border?
I want the Demorat party, who have been in control of Illinois for the last 100 years, to pay REPRARATIONs for absolutely DESTROYING a beautiful agricultural State!
They have been cashing in for 30 years.
These cities declared themselves sanctuaries years ago. Now let them pay the price of that decision.
How can the Democrats cash in on the immigration crisis?? Regardless of how it is positioned, illegals cost Americans money!!! There is no way Democrats can spin the illegal problem and not place it squarely on the shoulders of the federal government who, under Joe’s leadership, is ignoring the immigration laws we have on the books!!! There are no way that Joe and Democrats can justify the outlay of taxpayer dollars to support an open border when we can’t care for those who were here before Joe took office much less the 8 – 10 million that have arrived since Joe opened the border and that’s the ones we know about!!!! I don’t want to see anything about amnesty for these millions of illegals – they don’t belong here!!!
The Demoncraps all want illegals except when it comes to their neighborhoods and the great sucking sound of thousands of people who have no skills, can’t speak English, have no money, no relatives, are sick, and who knows, are pedophiles, are rapist, are murderers…I have good friends who immigrated from Jamaica to this country the right way…worked hard, saved money, applied for immigration and eventually was awarded their citizenship. They despise the illegals flooding the border as they did it the correct way and received NOTHING from us taxpayers…
It is one thing for the winning party of an election to marginalize the losing party and to disregard the millions who voted and lost. It is another thing for either party, win or lose, to completely disregard the fundamental rule of law, the Constitution and the purposes for which the government (“of, by and for the people”=citizenry, to be specific)was created, in the first place.
If that government can not meet the needs of the nearly one million homeless (presumably, mostly citizens) that exist in the cities of the country, why would it presume to allow six to ten times that amount of illegal-alien immigrants and asylum-seekers from the other countries to flood into the U.S.?
The national debt is unpayable, as it is. The situation has become so ridiculous that a serious consideration of the purposes for the subject matter of a formal education is without practicable example to justify it or prove its validity.
When city governments of the same party as that of the administration of the federal government simply disregard the facts and complaints of those governments, something of “representative democracy” needs to be changed. What is motivating the complete disregard for the enforcement of the rule of law by the federal government? And, if it does not mend its ways, why shouldn’t the individual states, particularly, those on the border, assume the right to enforce their states’ borders as their governments determine best satisfies the mandates for security? Sue the federal government for the costs of having to do so. The benefits derived will pay for themselves.
The DemonRats will stop at nothing to destroy this country. They can all suck it.
Trump 2024
As a matter of cost, it is cheaper to return the illegals to the countries from which they came than to gift metropolitan, Democratic administrations the money to do who knows what with.
The way I see it , this is their way of lineing their pockets and making the country go bank rupted so they can turn currency into a digital dollar. This way they can keep a eye on everyone you make . So in all reality they get richer and the American people get broker.