My sister-in-law, a nurse on Cape Cod, wants to visit New York City and is struggling to find an affordable hotel.
If she were a Venezuelan migrant who had just arrived in the Big Apple on a bus from the southern border, she’d have a shot at a room at the four-star Row hotel, steps from Times Square. Or a room at a SpringHill Suites by Marriott, a Holiday Inn Express or a Comfort Inn. Free of charge.
Welcome to Hotel America! Newly arriving migrants are also getting three meals a day courtesy of room service, snacks at any time, and at some of the hotels, computer facilities and playrooms for the kids. All courtesy of local taxpayers.
New York, already a sanctuary city, is turning itself into a migration magnet by offering these over-the-top freebies.
Maine is another migration magnet. It’s the poorest state in the Northeast and one of the poorest in the nation. Even so, it’s the destination of choice for Haitian and African migrants. Maine rolls out the red carpet.
Some 400 migrant families are living in hotels and motels in Maine. To foot the bill, the Maine Housing Authority dipped into Emergency Rental Assistance funds provided by Congress to help people who couldn’t pay their rent during the COVID lockdowns.
Some states reserved the funds for residents facing homelessness, but Maine allowed the money to house newcomers. Now that federal money has dried up, the state is asking taxpayers to fork over $182 million for the migrants’ hotel and motel rooms.
All the while, Maine is facing the highest rate of homelessness in 15 years, with shelters near capacity and homeless locals desperate to survive winter in tents.
What’s to blame for this Americans-last policy? The “immigration industrial complex” — a web of politicians, immigration attorneys and nonprofits who operate on government grants to care for migrants.
Driven by ideology and the lure of public money, the “immigration industrial complex” pushes relentlessly for money for migrants. It gets too little pushback from veterans groups and other Americans who need help themselves, and from taxpayers forced to provide things for migrants that they can’t afford themselves — like hotel stays.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who visited El Paso, Texas, over the weekend, complained Sunday that migrants have a “false impression” that they’ll be living in hotels.
Sorry, Mr. Mayor, it’s not a false impression. You can thank yourself for the migrants’ expectations. You inked a contract with the Hotel Association of New York City on Friday, reserving 55 entire hotels exclusively for migrants. News like that spreads like wildfire, all the way to Latin America.
The wave of migrants arriving in New York City is being called an “emergency” but will likely become the new normal, considering the amenities the city offers.
Migrants arriving at Port Authority are connected to many services, including immigration attorneys paid for by city and state taxpayers, and health care, not just emergency care.
As if that’s not enough, on Dec. 14, Adams announced “Promise NYC,” a new child care program expressly targeting undocumented children.
The “immigration industrial complex” is pushing for more, all across the nation. Washington State just opened up its Obamacare health insurance program to the undocumented — another magnet sure to attract migrants. The Affordable Care Act expressly bars undocumented enrollees, but the Biden administration — the “immigration industrial complex’s” best friend — granted the state a waiver to include people here illegally.
A century ago, immigrants from Europe came to America to make new lives. In New York, they moved into Lower East Side tenements, several families to a flat, took care of themselves and contributed to New York’s future.
In the 1960s, Dominicans moved to New York City in a wave and settled in Washington Heights, where apartments were cheap. They too became a major force in the city.
Immigration is still a part of this city’s and this nation’s future. But housing migrants in luxury hotels and providing services Americans can’t afford for themselves is the wrong idea. It will cause resentment.
Hotel America must be replaced with commonsense, bare-bones accommodations. A roof over their heads. Anything more will lure migrants with crazy expectations and make the crisis worse.
Betsy McCaughey is a former lieutenant governor of New York and chairman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths. Follow her on Twitter @Betsy_McCaughey. To find out more about Betsy McCaughey and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website.
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To Betsy McCaughey, Very important article, you went into detail about some things on this topic that are needed in order to get a full understanding of what is going on with the funding for the immigrants. I believe very much in fairness, kindness, understanding the needs of those are without the basic necessities of life , but to cause an imbalance as you described the situation in Maine is just plain not right, not fair. I hope many will read your article , those in decision making positions that pertain to housing in particular, and will start using good sense, which will be kind and fair for all The right thing to do is what you described in the last paragraph, provide the immigrants with the basic necessities, that is being fair and kind and realistic and sensible, all of those things are not in conflict with each other, in fact they complement each other.
Somones mad it’s not the white people looking for better lives in America anymore and it’s showing lol
I am sorry to hear of the plight of your sister-in-law but I am convinced that
Texas needs to send 10 busloads of illegals every day to NYC, DC, and Chicago
until our president wakes up.
Wonder what Adams kick back was for inking the deal with the 55 hotels. Hey don’t forget ten percent for the big guy!
What happened to the tiny homes that lined the streets of New York for the homeless? Put them there. Barebones. They have money. They need to pay.
Our reps show “compassion” for the entire world, and none for the constituents they serve.
Those who are rolling aout the red carpet for illegals are not heros, they are reckless tyrants who give away the American peoples money to make themselves look good. This seems to be the trend with the Democratic party. They wish to appear as caring and benevolent but at the same time they are endangering many lives, foreign and domestic, at the border and then into the rest of the country. They have started a plague of misery which will have no end.
They are not good stewarts of Americas resources and certainly do not deserve any kind of humanitarian award.
Contact General Steel. They have solutions in many sizes and configurations. Make a deal with steel.
Although I agree with this article. I think it is too late to start complaining Mayor of New York City & state of Maine. but no mention of CA? Why? Cause our reckless governor will be running for the presidency with Auntie Pelosi’s blessings. If you think Biden is evil wait till this guy runs and wins.
How about just shutting down the border and making them stay in their own country
Another example of Insanity in America ! We need a Taxpayer March on DC to say enough of this Insanity with OUR MONEY !
Illegal = illegal, period. We should be sending all illegals back to Mexico. I strenuously object to my tax dollars being spent to transport, clothe and feed criminals. Am I sorry their country sucks…yes. Does that mean all are welcome…no.
Why dont all you bleeding hearts take them in. Dump a bunch in Hollywood.
California is bad enough, glad some are going to NY now. Hollywood is already the cesspool of CA
now….and Gov. Newscum keeps letting them come in because they ‘vote’ for him
Illegal means illegal! The wall should be finished, and this administration, president, and vice should be booted out of the White House. There are homeless veterans, and Americans in all of these blue states. This administration doesn’t give a s~~~ about them. It’s all about the vote, not compassion. Yes, immigration is great if done legally. MAGA has to be enforced. What a mess .
So, illegals (those who entered our country ILLEGALY) get to stay at some of the best 4-star hotels, order prime rib and shrimp cocktails with champaign for lunch and dinner, all at hard working taxpayers’ expense? Why is there not more OUTRAGE over what’s going on here??? These people call and text home to all their friends and relatives to tell them what a great and generous place America is! Come on up! Yup, this sure is the way to handle our crisis at the border!!! I’m sure their all waiting for their bus ride to Martha’s Vinyard and their free house too!
I hope the mayor pitches 1000 tents on 5th avenue. Create another San Fran
As a retired Pastor, living on a very small income, I am very concerned with this situation. Americans are having to fight for our country and we fight food shortages as I’ve heard the illegals are throwing away much of the free food they receive. They will never achieve a good citizenship status with everything given to them. I understand we still have a baby formula shortage and the grocery stores, around us are in very short supply.
The people need to say no more this is enough
Crime central!
That’s our idiot’s in government
Wow! Imagine an island paradise or anywhere for that matter offering a 4 or 5 star hotel, 3 room service meals a day and more! All free! You don’t have to do anything for it! What paradise! What do they think is going to happen?!
More evidence supporting the replacement theory!