The surge of asylum seekers into New York was in the spotlight on Capitol Hill Wednesday, with Republicans using it to argue that the migrant situation in the U.S. is financially unsustainable.

A Republican member of the New York City Council was among those to testify before the House Homeland Security Committee.

What You Need To Know

  • Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee repeatedly invoked Democratic Mayor Eric Adams and his headline-grabbing comment that the migrant situation could “destroy” the Big Apple

  • New York City Council Minority Leader Joseph Borelli, an invited witness, testified about the financial burden of the asylum seekers on the city’s resources, including on law enforcement and public schools

  • Democrats on the panel accused Republicans of fear mongering. Rep. Dan Goldman also urged lawmakers to act on the White House’s request for additional financial assistance

Republicans on the panel repeatedly invoked Democratic Mayor Eric Adams and his headline-grabbing comment that the migrant situation could “destroy” the Big Apple. One lawmaker played a video clip as part of his line of questioning.

“Mayor Eric Adams… recently predicted that this border crisis will, quote, destroy New York City, end quote,” said Committee Chairman Mark Green, a Republican of Tennessee.

“I agree with the mayor on that point. He can't. He can't handle it,” said Texas Republican August Pfluger.

“It's very rare that Mayor Adams and I agree, but I do agree that this issue is going to destroy New York City,” said Nassau County Rep. Anthony D’Esposito.

Wednesday’s hearing was just the latest in a series organized by Republicans aimed at highlighting security at the southern border. New York City Council Minority Leader Joseph Borelli, an invited witness, testified about the financial burden of the asylum seekers on the city’s resources, including on law enforcement and public schools.

“I would tell the president to close the border. And as a New Yorker, I'd tell the president to give us a bit more money to help with the crisis,” he told the House panel.

Democrats on the panel accused Republicans of fear mongering and redoubled their calls for expediting work permits for migrants. Rep. Dan Goldman also urged lawmakers to act on the White House’s request for additional financial assistance.

“The president cannot print money, the president cannot create new funding streams. That is what Congress has to do. And that's where we need partnership from the majority Republican Party,” Goldman said after the hearing.

Last month, some New York Republicans on Capitol Hill labeled a request from the governor for more federal money for shelters “reckless.” But on Wednesday, Councilman Borelli, also a Republican, told Spectrum News NY1 that he wants the “federal government to pay for federal failures.”