The Migrant Crisis in Focus
If you’re reading this and live in the United States, the probability that you or your ancestors were immigrants at some point in the nation’s history is as high as the likelihood of being served apple pie on Thanksgiving. We are a nation of immigrants. However, since the Immigration Act of 1924, we have enforced a strict limit on the number of legal immigrants that may enter the U.S., creating legal frameworks under which many current migrants are simply unqualified hopefuls.
The expiration of Article 42—a public health order implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic to expel all migrants back to either Mexico or their country of origin—has created a backlog of hopeful migrants that has inundated our border protection and brought work at immigration agencies to a halt. Many new arrivals have already been admitted to cities across the United States, only for asylum applications to be rejected upon a federal immigration judge’s scrutiny. Urban centers like New York, Chicago, and DC are struggling to house the highest influx of migrants seen in decades.
The financial implications of this crisis are worrisome. With many migrants unable to obtain work permits due to the backlog in the immigration system, their presence results in even higher costs for the cities that house them. According to the Office of Mayor Adams, New York City is set to spend over $12 billion on asylum seekers through 2025.
Substantially lower federal funding for states and municipalities over the last few years means cities across the nation will be left to contend with budget shortfalls—and the difficult decision to either raise taxes or cut vital programs. Governments and politicians aiming for sustainable budgets may find it hard to hedge themselves against political fallout should they address the issue head on, as neither option is particularly favorable for voters.
The Federal government has expedited some work permits and granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to some migrants, but this process remains slow and has encumbered the financial stability of cities like New York which are required to house migrants through right-to-shelter laws implemented in the 1970’s.
The unauthorized population remains stable at around 11 million (see page 6), with many returning to their countries of origin after years without legal documentation. Although Mexico leads the way in terms of sheer numbers already in the United States, the proportion of migrants fleeing Central America’s Northern Triangle of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras continues to rise exponentially.
The solution ultimately lies in immigration policy reform, but given the current political deadlock on this issue, that may be as likely as Texas seceding from the Union.
