With tens of thousands of migrants having arrived in New York City in the last year, including about 530 now being housed in Cheektowaga hotels, State Attorney General Letitia James is calling on the federal government to expedite work permits for them.
James on Wednesday joined a chorus of other state politicians who want the the Department of Homeland Security to grant work authorization permits to migrants able to work.
“For generations, immigrants have come to New York seeking new opportunities for themselves and their families, and recent arrivals are no different,” James said in a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. “But bureaucratic delays and a lack of work permits are depriving new immigrants of the chance to create a better life here in America. Moreover, these delays are hurting our economy by depriving businesses of a much-needed source of labor.”
Newly arrived migrants who are in the immigration process are allowed to work – however, they must await a work permit and that can take as long as 10 months.
James, along with Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, have argued that by allowing migrants to work legally, they will be able to support themselves – and need less help from the government.
National Guard troops being sent to the Cheektowaga hotels housing asylum-seekers from New York City will “act as a stabilizing presence,” Erie County Executive…
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