The Fearmongering Divisive Rhetoric Regarding New York City’s Migrant Influx Is Solving Nothing

Photos: YouTube Screenshots When New York City Mayor Eric Adams proclaimed that arriving migrants would “destroy” the city, my heart sank. Here was yet another example of the damaging, misguided, and inaccurate political rhetoric that can do so much harm. Adams’ remarks drew some criticism, but they also garnered praise in disparate parts of the political landscape, from the neo-Nazi site the Daily Stormer, to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. These developments underscore just how important it is to straighten out the narrative here, and to explain why newly arriving migrants represent a golden opportunity for New York. Our state has a proud legacy of offering refuge to newcomers hoping to make life better for themselves and their families. That hope is something we all share, and the promise of refuge has made New York what it is. It’s the spirit of the Emma Lazarus poem etched into Lady Liberty’s pedestal. New York is also known for being a place where big things get done. That is why it’s especially galling when our leaders point fingers, pass the buck, play politics, or engage in fearmongering about the many migrants arriving in New York over the last year, mostly in...