A recent Sienna College poll has shown that nearly two-thirds of New Yorkers attribute the migrant crisis in NYC to President Joe Biden. Additionally, over half of the respondents believe that Biden’s open border policies will have a detrimental effect on New York City.
The migrant crisis is raising concerns among New Yorkers regarding national security, financial matters, and other issues in the Empire State. The poll reveals that 64% of New Yorkers disapprove of Biden’s efforts to address the recent surge of migrants in the state. Notably, 48% of Democrats also disapprove of Biden’s handling of the crisis.
Among the respondents, 91% of Republicans and 72% of independents blame Biden for the issue. The poll indicates that 46% of New Yorkers disapprove of how NYC Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, has dealt with the migrant influx, while only 30% approve. In the case of New York’s Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul, 52% disapprove, while 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 narrows to just seven points when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornell West, who together garner support from nearly one in five voters, are included on the ballot, according to Greenberg.
As of October 16, over 126,700 migrants have arrived in New York City since last spring. This includes more than 64,100 people who are currently in the city’s taxpayer-funded care.
With the increasing influx of migrants into New York City, the city has faced a dual crisis due to the ongoing conflict in Israel. Hamas leaders have called for global action, leading the NYPD to increase patrols this month. However, according to Adams, there has been no credible threat so far.
Adams’ relationship with Biden has deteriorated over the past few months due to the mayor’s request for more timely federal support in managing the migrant crisis. While Adams did not meet with Biden last month when the president was in New York City for the United Nations General Assembly, Governor Hochul did have a meeting with him. Hochul reached an agreement with the White House to expedite work permits for Venezuelans who have crossed the border into the United States illegally. She has also facilitated Adams’ controversial strategy of relocating migrants across the state by identifying tens of thousands of available jobs in various counties for migrants.
In the coming weeks, the city is planning to open a migrant shelter at Floyd Bennett Field, an airfield in Brooklyn. This facility will accommodate families with children seeking asylum in a semi-congregate setting, as stated by NYC officials. Privacy dividers with locks will be installed to provide around 500 families with children a place to stay.
