Democratic New York Mayor Eric Adams shared surprising claims during a podcast with Daily Caller News Foundation co-founder Tucker Carlson. Adams said President Joe Biden and his staff allegedly urged him to "be a good Democrat" when addressing the influx of illegal migrants in New York City.
In December 2023, Adams and other sanctuary city mayors pleaded for federal help with the migrant crisis. Thousands of migrants had flooded their cities, overwhelming resources. On "The Tucker Carlson Interview," Carlson pressed Adams about his discussions with Biden and how local taxpayers were burdened with the crisis.
Adams recounted, “I spoke with Julie Chavez [Rodriguez], [Tom] Perez, and the president himself. The governor and I met with the president here in New York City.” He added, “I told him, ‘Mr. President, this is a terrible problem. We need to fix our border.’”
Under the Biden-Harris administration, the U.S. southern border saw record-high crossings. New York City, as a sanctuary city, struggled with the surge of migrants, many arriving on buses from Texas since 2023.
Adams said the city was tasked with housing migrants for up to two years without knowing how to sustain them. “Some were here six months, a year, even two years, with no work authorization,” he explained. “How do you provide for people who can’t provide for themselves?”
The mayor also highlighted the strain on city services, noting they had to house, feed, clothe, and educate an estimated 40,000 migrant children, along with adults needing aid.
Carlson asked how Biden's administration responded to his concerns. Adams said, “Basically, ‘Be a good Democrat, Eric.’ One aide told me, ‘This is like a gallstone. It’ll pass.’” Carlson, shocked, replied, “Well, you pee it out then! Why do you have to?”
In February 2024, Adams publicly criticized sanctuary city policies while simultaneously cutting migrant aid by 30%. He also imposed a curfew on shelters, despite introducing a $53 million taxpayer-funded program to distribute prepaid credit cards to illegal immigrants.
The crisis has exposed growing tensions and contradictions, leaving New Yorkers and their leaders searching for answers.