Freedom

Story by Claire O’Hare

Mayors of five major US cities, including New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, and Houston, sent a letter to President Joe Biden requesting a meeting to discuss the influx of illegal immigrants into their cities.

They asked for additional federal funding and expedited work authorization for illegal migrants.

The mayors expressed gratitude for previous funding but emphasized the need for further action, citing the strain on resources and lack of coordination.

“While these courageous actions represent critical first steps, we believe additional action is needed and believe as the Mayors leading many of our most affected cities we can be helpful partners in identifying solutions.”

“To address this crisis without further delay, we are requesting an urgent meeting with you to directly discuss ways we can work with your administration to avoid large numbers of additional asylum seekers being brought to our cities with little to no coordination, support, or resources,” the mayors wrote.

“Cities have historically absorbed and integrated new migrants with success, but the challenges brought by the new border arrivals are due not only to the high numbers but also the diversity of nationalities, the large share arriving as families, and the overwhelming number who seek asylum,” the letter said.

“Given the impact this crisis has had — and continues to have — on state and local budgets we respectfully advocate for additional funding.”

“The federal government and nonprofit partners — not the governors of the states at which recent migrants arrive — must coordinate the geographic movements of recent arrivals,” the mayors wrote.

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They requested an urgent meeting to seek solutions, and advocated for an additional $5 billion in federal funding.

They also asked for eased work authorization requirements and faster asylum adjudication.

While not requesting more border security, the leaders rather asked for a collaborative federal approach to coordinated entry into the country.