‘Do your job’ on the border crisis
Mayor Eric Adams is wrapping it up in all manner of doubtless-sincere we love immigrants and all must share the burden talk, but his core proposal for “decompression” of the border crisis amounts to telling President Joe Biden: Do your job.
The mayor’s been requesting “decompression” for a while now, but his six-point plan in The Washington Post spells it out as (and the emphasis is ours) a “strategy at the border that evaluates asylum claims, establishes a plan for each migrant’s arrival — before entry into the United States — and a system to fairly distribute newcomers regionally.”
In other words, don’t just wave millions in, as Biden’s been doing since he took office, and let them spend years here (unable to legally work for months, at least) filing initial asylum claims and awaiting court action (if any). Vet their claims first.
Separate the true asylum seekers from those simply aiming to jump the years-long line of those who just want to come here to build a better life. And enforce the laws that say the proper place to apply for asylum is in one of the many countries most “seekers” cross before hitting the US border.
Yes, the rest of Adams’ plan involves aid to cities (like New York) facing large numbers of migrants, plus “comprehensive immigration reform” that offers illegal migrants a way to stay legally. But the “decompression” part stands out as the piece that’s most urgent, since it’s the only way to actually end the current crisis.
And, we’d add, give the Border Patrol enough of a breather that it can nab future “gotaways.” Under Biden, it’s spotted more than 1 million migrants that it hasn’t been able to intercept, against the 2 million-plus that it has stopped but then allowed in.
Adams still isn’t calling out Biden by name, but he’s getting closer. And our city’s “Get Stuff Done” chief executive wants the commander-in-chief to get this done.
Keep it up, Mr. Mayor.
