Current:Home > InvestTop CEOs call on Biden administration to address migrant influx in New York -Blueprint Money Mastery
Top CEOs call on Biden administration to address migrant influx in New York
View
Date:2025-04-14 17:23:13
Dozens of the nation's most prominent business leaders called for federal aid and speedy processing of work permits to address an influx of asylum seekers in New York City.
The arrival of more than 100,000 migrants from the southern U.S. border has pitted some local and state officials against President Joe Biden, setting off a high-profile dispute over proper treatment of the asylum seekers and who should pay for it.
More than 120 executives -- including JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink -- signed a letter to Biden and Congressional leaders that characterized the New York business community as "deeply concerned" over the "humanitarian crisis."
The business leaders backed a request made by Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday calling on Biden to provide funds for the migrants' healthcare, transportation, education and housing costs as well as expedited work authorizations.
Government support for migrants will cost $12 billion over the next three years, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who has also called for federal aid, said earlier this month.
MORE: Border Patrol apprehensions increased in July, but remain lower than before Title 42 was lifted
The estimate came days after a line of migrants formed on the sidewalk outside of an intake center in midtown Manhattan at the Roosevelt Hotel. The migrants slept outside for days before they gained temporary shelter elsewhere.
In the letter published on Monday, top executives said responsibility for addressing the migrant crisis should fall entirely on the federal government.
"Immigration policies and control of our country's border are clearly a federal responsibility; state and local governments have no standing in this matter," the executives said.
Citing a persistent labor shortage, the executives said migrants bearing expedited work permits could access jobs in a host of industries.
The U.S. economy held 8.8 million job openings last month, data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Tuesday showed.
"Employers are prepared to offer training and jobs to individuals who are authorized to work in the United States," the executives said.
The call from executives arrived on the same day that reports surfaced of letters sent by the Biden administration to Adams and Hochul rebuking criticism that the federal government had fallen short in efforts to help address the crisis. Politico first reported on the letters.
Rather, the struggle to accommodate the asylum seekers owes primarily to "structural issues" of "governance and organization" in the day-to-day operations within the city and state, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas reportedly said.
MORE: NYC struggling to keep up with demand of supporting asylum-seekers, Mayor Adams says
Aiming for a comprehensive resolution, the executives on Monday called for "bipartisan action" in Washington D.C. but acknowledged that such a solution would "take time."
"In the interim, we urge you to take immediate action to better control the border and the process of asylum and provide relief to the cities and states that are bearing the burdens posed by the influx of asylum seekers," the executives said.
The letter drew backing from additional high-profile CEOs, such as Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman, Ernst & Young CEO Carmine Di Sibio and Citi CEO Jane Fraser.
It comes as business leaders face an increasingly fraught political environment as they weather Republican-led attacks over issues like socially conscious investing and diversity, equity and inclusion programs, former company executives and advocacy group leaders previously told ABC News, drawing on conversations with C-suite officials at large companies.
This month, a rating agency downgraded U.S. credit for the second time in the nation's history. Fitch Ratings cited the ballooning U.S. debt load and a weakening of governance, as well as the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, as considerations in their decision.
veryGood! (6)
Related
- Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
- Happy birthday, Prince George! William and Kate share new photo of 11-year-old son
- Biden drops out of the 2024 presidential race, endorses Vice President Kamala Harris for nomination
- Pressure mounts on Secret Service; agency had denied requests for extra Trump security
- The Best Stocking Stuffers Under $25
- Investors react to President Joe Biden pulling out of the 2024 presidential race
- Travis Kelce’s Training Camp Look Is a Nod to Early Days of Taylor Swift Romance
- What can you give a dog for pain? Expert explains safe pain meds (not Ibuprofen)
- Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
- Is it possible to live without a car? Why some Americans are going car-free
Ranking
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- What to know about Kamala Harris' viral coconut tree meme: You exist in the context of all in which you live
- Utah wildfire prompts mandatory evacuations
- Did a Florida man hire a look-alike to kill his wife?
- Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
- Largest trial court in the US closes after ransomware attack, California officials say
- Peak global population is approaching, thanks to lower fertility rates: Graphics explain
- Yordan Alvarez hits for cycle, but Seattle Mariners move into tie with Houston Astros
Recommendation
Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
'Painful' wake-up call: What's next for CrowdStrike, Microsoft after update causes outage?
Dozens of Maine waterfront businesses get money to rebuild from devastating winter storms
Is it possible to live without a car? Why some Americans are going car-free
EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
VP Kamala Harris salutes national champion college athletes at White House
Gunman in Trump rally attack flew drone over rally site in advance of event, official says
How to Watch the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony and All Your Favorite Sports