New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been criticised by The Lawfare Project's Gerard Filitti, after filing a lawsuit worth $700million against the transportation of migrants into the city.
In January, Mayor Adams announced he is taking legal action against 17 transport companies that have bussed migrants from Texas, claiming they violated New York Social Services Law.
Adams has accused the companies in the lawsuit of "knowingly" bringing migrants from Texas, and has also accused Texas Governor Greg Abbott of implementing a "scheme" to transport tens of thousands of migrants "in an attempt to overwhelm our social services".
In a statement, Adams said New York City "will continue to do our part to manage this humanitarian crisis", but they "cannot bear the cost of reckless political ploys from the state of Texas alone".
New York Mayor Eric Adams has been criticised for his plans to tackle the migrant crisis
Reuters / GBN America
The operation, known as Operation Lone Star, transported more than 33,000 people into New York City from Texas in 2021, to help curb illegal immigration in the United States.
Adams said Governor Abbott’s "continued use of migrants as political pawns" is "not only chaotic and inhumane, but makes clear he puts politics over people".
Appearing on GBN America, Senior Counsel at The Lawfare Project Gerard Filitti branded the lawsuit a "stunt", and predicted that Mayor Adams "may not be successful" in his efforts.
Speaking to host Mark Dolan, Filitti explained: "He is trying to stop southern states like Texas from sending migrants to New York by prohibiting buses from dropping them off without prior permission.
Gerard Filitti says the lawsuit is a 'stunt' and 'not very successful'
GBN America
"The problem is, you don't need to actually be dropped off in New York City by these buses. They can simply drop people off in New Jersey, the neighbouring state, where they can take essentially a subway or a train into New York and end up there anyway."
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In criticism of the lawsuit, Filitti told GBN America: "This lawsuit is in many ways a stunt, and an attempt to stop some of this migrant traffic going into New York.
"Ultimately it's not very successful because most people, when they come to America, don't want to live in the middle of nowhere in a state that they haven't even heard of. They want to come to the Big Apple. That's the land of opportunity."
Filitti explained that Mayor Adams's "success" at making New York a "good economic stronghold" is also the "downfall" for the city in attracting a large number of migrants from the border.
He added: "New York has always been somewhat of an open city, a sanctuary city providing housing, clothing, benefits, food and job opportunities to migrants. But right now, it's beyond the capacity to take any more on."
Eric Adams has filed a $700million lawsuit against 17 transport companies
Reuters
When asked by Mark about the ongoing tensions in New York surrounding the migrant crisis, Filitti said there is "incredible tension" as the city is feeling "overwhelmed" by the number of people arriving for help.
Filitti detailed: "The city is starting to restrict some of the benefits that it provides. Mayor Adams has gone to South America and Latin America to discourage migrants from coming, because this is really having a negative effect on overall liveability of what was once a magnificent city, but played to the idea that any city in America can be a sanctuary city.
"We are seeing the issue now of many decades of progressive policies. Elected officials wanted to welcome immigrants with open arms and with no questions on whether they had the ability to work, no questions on their criminal background. And now we're seeing the consequences.
"The consequences are that we have been stretched thin with our economic resources and our ability to provide basic services and goods for all of these people who are also not taxpayers or contributing to the public good."