Democrats are losing their minds.
On Monday, Governor Kathy Hochul of New York, a Democrat, made an announcement regarding the creation of 18,000 new job opportunities for eligible asylum seekers and migrants in response to the surge of over 125,000 people in New York City.
According to Fox, Hochul revealed that the New York State Department of Labor has identified a total of 18,000 job openings in the private sector, spanning 379 different companies across the state. These companies have recognized the potential to fill various positions with individuals who possess legal work status. This assessment and outreach initiative began on August 24.
Breaking down the job openings, it was disclosed that approximately 24% of them are in the accommodation and food services sector, involving 90 businesses. Healthcare and social assistance make up another 21% of the opportunities, spread across 79 businesses. Manufacturing accounts for 10% of the openings within 38 businesses, while administrative support positions constitute 8%, distributed among 29 businesses.
Governor Hochul addressed the situation at a press conference, acknowledging the challenge posed by the 125,000 individuals who were previously ineligible for employment and relied on public support for housing. She stressed the need for a sustainable solution, urging businesses to participate in the effort to provide more opportunities.
Additionally, Hochul expressed her hope for expanded work authorizations from the federal government, emphasizing that while helping Venezuelans is a positive step, it is crucial to extend this support to migrants from other regions like Mauritania, Congo, South America, Central America, West Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Russia. She called for more thoughtful controls at the southern border to manage the influx effectively.
These job openings align with Mayor Eric Adams’ decompression strategy for New York City, aimed at reducing the burden on the city. The opportunities are not limited to the city itself but are also available across various regions in the state, including the Capital Region, central region, Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley, Long Island, Mohawk Valley, North Country, and Southern Tier.
New York City stands out with the highest number of job openings, offering 9,801 positions to eligible asylum seekers. Despite opposition from local officials in Hudson Valley and Long Island, who have been contesting Mayor Adams’ efforts to relocate migrants to motels for extended stays, the state identified 2,896 openings in Hudson Valley and 1,294 on Long Island.
In response to these developments, House GOP Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., criticized Governor Hochul for what she perceived as incentivizing illegal immigration. Stefanik argued that Hochul’s policies were exacerbating the immigration crisis and called for stronger border security measures.
Governor Hochul expressed gratitude towards the Biden administration for granting temporary protective status and expedited work authorization to Venezuelans on September 20. This move is expected to enable more than 15,000 Venezuelans to attain legal work status within 30 days in New York City. Hochul hailed this as a positive step in addressing the issue and noted that it benefited 40% of the recent arrivals.
Governor Hochul also highlighted that approximately 60% of the migrants in New York City come from regions other than Venezuela. To manage the ongoing migrant crisis, she has deployed 250 National Guard personnel to provide full-time case management services for asylum seekers, part of a larger deployment of over 2,100 National Guard personnel.