The Border “Is Too Open”: Democrat New York Governor Kathy Hochul Becomes Immigration Hawk; Calls for Limiting Number of Migrants and “Doubling or Quadrupling” Border Patrol Agents

New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) has turned into an immigration hawk after the Biden administration has overwhelmed her state–and specifically New York City–with an unceasing flood of thousands upon thousands of migrants. Appearing on the CBS News program Face the Nation on Sunday, Hochul called for limits on migration at the border and for a “doubling or quadrupling” of Border Patrol agents.

Hochul cast blame on Republicans and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), rather than Joe Biden, ignoring that it is Biden’s policies that have instigated the massive amount of illegal immigration since he took office in 2021.

In the past few months, as pressure has built on Hochul to do something about the migrant crisis, she has pressed the Biden administration to provide work permits to migrants and to send financial and personnel help.

Last month in an appearance on CNN, Hochul told migrants to go “somewhere else” besides New York, “They’re literally from around the world. West Africa, South and Central America — they’re coming from all over. But we have to let the word out that when you come to New York, we’re not going to have more hotel rooms. We don’t have capacity. So we have to also message properly that we’re at our limit. If you’re going to leave your country, go somewhere else.”

Excerpt from CBS transcript:

MARGARET BRENNAN: But it’s stunning that a trillion dollars is not – is not sufficient nationally.

I want to ask you as well about the other crisis you’ve been raising alarms about, and that is the strain due to migrants. There were no border provisions in this congressional bill that just passed. And I know you’ve said you’ve had to manage without help from Washington.

What would you ask Congress to get done in the next 45 days?

GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL: Well, shame on Speaker McCarthy and the Republicans in Congress, including the nine from New York state who are complaining like crazy about the migrants, but refuse to work with President Biden and come up with a sensible border strategy.

It can be done. This can be done in a bipartisan way, comprehensive immigration reform, whether it’s quotas, certain numbers…

(CROSSTALK)

MARGARET BRENNAN: What specifically do you want?

GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL: Well, we want them to have a limit on who can come across the border. It is too open right now.

People coming from all over the world are finding their way through, simply saying they need asylum, and the majority of them seem to be ending up in the streets of New York. And that is a real problem for New York City, 125,000 newly arrived individuals. And we are being taxed. Now, we are always so proud of the fact that New York has the Statue of Liberty in our harbor – harbor. We are one of the most diverse places on Earth because of our welcoming nature and our – it’s in our DNA to welcome immigrants.

But there has to be some limits in place. And Congress has to put more controls at the border, and not in this budget threat…

MARGARET BRENNAN: Right.

GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL: … shutdown threat talk about eliminating positions for Border Patrol, while we actually need to double or quadruple those numbers.

So, get back to work and do your jobs.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Governor, good luck.

Video clip:

When asked how Congress should address the migrant crisis, New York @GovKathyHochul calls for “a limit on who can come across the border.” Hochul tells @margbrennan many are “simply saying they need asylum and the majority of them seem to be ending up in the streets of New York.” pic.twitter.com/uXAmGXmOQ7

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) October 1, 2023

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said his state has only bussed about 15,800 migrants to New York, indicating that the rest of the more than 125,000 migrants are the due to Joe Biden.

Texas has bused over 15,800 migrants to New York City.

Joe Biden is responsible for the overwhelming majority of migrants here right now.

Americans are waking up to the reality of Biden’s open border policies.

Biden, not Texas, is to blame for this crisis. pic.twitter.com/sFIYwKzs3D

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) September 27, 2023