Almost two-thirds of New Yorkers say they blame Democrat President Joe Biden for the migrant crisis in NYC, a new poll has revealed.
According to a Sienna College poll released Tuesday, over half of respondents also say they believe Biden’s open border policies will “destroy” New York City.
New Yorkers say Biden’s migrant crisis raises concerns about national security, financial, and other issues in the Empire State.
According to the poll, 64% of New Yorkers disapprove of the job Biden is doing to address the recent influx of migrants in the state.
That includes 48% of Democrats who disapprove of Biden’s handling of the crisis.
91% of Republicans and 72% of independents said they blame Biden for the issue.
The poll found that 46% of New Yorkers disapprove and just 30% approve of how NYC Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, has addressed the influx of migrants.
As for New York’s Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul, 52% disapprove, while just 37% approve.
“While other issues in Washington and abroad have largely driven the news cycle over the last few weeks, the influx of migrants to New York remains top of mind for voters, with 84% saying it’s a serious – 57% very serious – problem for the state,” Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said.
“Seldom do we see an issue where at least 79% of Democrats, Republicans, independents, men, women, upstaters, downstaters, Blacks, Whites, Latinos, Catholics, Jews, and Protestants all agree – that the migrant influx is a serious problem.”
“The strong majority of voters last month who said by 22 points that New Yorkers must work to slow the flow of migrants rather than accept and assimilate them, has grown to an overwhelming 35-point majority today,” Greenberg assessed.
“That view is shared by 82% of Republicans, 68% of independents and 52% of Democrats, as well as two-thirds of downstaters and 59% of upstaters.”
“While a plurality of New Yorkers do not approve of the job Adams is doing to address the influx of migrants, a 58-32% majority of New Yorkers – including a narrow plurality of Democrats – agree with Adams’ statement that ‘this issue will destroy New York City.’ A majority of White (60%), Black (57%) and Latino (51%) voters all agree,” Greenberg said.
Greenberg assessed that New York remains a “true blue state,” as 49% of voters are enrolled as Democrats and only 23% as Republicans.
“True, the last Republican presidential candidate to win here was Ronald Reagan in 1984,” he added,
“But also true is that just last year, a Republican came within seven points of being elected governor.”
Greenberg noted Hochul’s relatively narrow victory over GOP gubernatorial candidate and then-congressman Lee Zeldin.
Zeldin gained major ground with his anti-bail reform, tough-on-crime platform.
“And also true is that right now, Biden has his worst-ever New York favorability and job approval ratings,” Greenberg said.
“The good news for Biden is the election is more than a year away.
“The bad news is there’s more bad news.”
Greenberg noted that the poll found 52% of Democrats say they want a different presidential nominee in 2024.
Additionally, he said Biden only leads Trump 46-37%, “a far cry from the 61-38% margin Biden won by in 2020.”
Biden’s lead slips to just seven points if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornell West – who, combined, win the support of nearly one in five voters – are on the ballot, Greenberg added.
As of October 16, more than 126,700 migrants have arrived in New York City since last spring.
The influx includes more than 64,100 people who remain in the city’s taxpayer-funded care.
With the rate at which migrants are pouring into New York City increasing, the Big Apple has faced a dual crisis due to the war in Israel.
Hamas leaders have called for action around the globe, and the NYPD bolstered patrols this month.
However, Adams said, so far, there has been no credible threat.
Adams’ relationship with Biden has soured over recent months amid the mayor’s urging for further and timely support from federal authorities in handling the migrant crisis.
While Adams and Biden did not meet last month while the president was in New York City for the United Nations General Assembly, Hochul did meet Biden.
The governor secured a deal with the White House in fast-tracking work permits for Venezuelans who have illegally crossed the border into the United States.
Hochul has seemingly helped facilitate Adams’ controversial strategy of relocating migrants across the state by identifying tens of thousands of eligible jobs across various counties available for migrants.
The city is also opening a migrant shelter at Floyd Bennett Field, an airfield in Brooklyn, in the coming weeks.
The facility will “serve families with children seeking asylum in a semi-congregate setting,” according to NYC officials.
City officials said privacy dividers with locks will be installed to provide approximately 500 families with children a place to stay.
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