New York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced plans to construct a “tent city” in a beachside parking lot in the Bronx to house up to 1000 migrants.
Tent cities were icons in American major cities during the Great Depression. The tents and shanties set up at the onset of the Depression were dubbed “Hoovervilles” after President Hoover, who was in office in 1929 when the stock market crashed and the decade-long Depression began.
As a product of severe economic distress, it is ironic that tent cities would be needed when the economy is doing so well – at least that is the word from President Biden and the Democrats.
We have seen the beginning of tent housing in such cities as Los Angeles, Seattle, etc. to accommodate the growing throngs of homeless folks who are apparently not recognizing that allegedly great economy. Unlike the Adams’ plan, the shanty homeless shelters in many cities were not erected by the municipal governments, but by individuals basically taking up public or private property.
The other distinction between the tent cities popping up in recent years is that they are mostly for homeless American citizens. The Adams’ tent city will be for a special class of homeless individuals – those who crossed the American border to seek asylum – or not.
Progressives see no problem with open borders because they say the millions of folks coming to America have a legal right to claim asylum – and can legally stay in America as their cases are adjudicated. If they are deemed to be ineligible for asylum, they will be deported. If they do not leave, they are then illegal aliens. The 500,000 “get-aways” who have entered the United States are automatically illegal aliens – and that is only the ones that were seen escaping. According to Border Patrol, that is only a fraction of the real number.
So … how many of the 2 million migrants that have entered the United States since the start of the Biden administration are likely to be eligible for asylum – and eventual citizenship? Currently, it is running around 15 percent. That’s right! Up to 85 percent of those crossing the border are not likely to win their asylum cases. Even so, most will not leave the United States once they settle in — and they will settle in since their claims will not be heard in court for years. In the meantime, Uncle Sam will be a very generous host.
And that is why Mayor Adams needs a tent city. But will it work out? Probably not well.
First of all, these kinds of oppressive housing conditions never work out well. With at least 1000 migrants jammed into that parking lot, there will be crimes and violence. People getting high or drunk – or just bad people among the residents. Crime and violence will flow into the nearby neighborhoods. That is why the neighbors are already enraged.
Once a New York winter sets in, the conditions in the tents will be awful. And to make matters worse, the location of Adam’s tent facilities is a designated hazardous flood zone. Perhaps that is less of a problem for people who survived crossing the Rio Grande River.
Adams plans his tent city for 1000 people, but it is almost certain to exceed that number by a lot – maybe even double. And given the number of migrants flowing into America, I am betting that Adams will have to find more locations for his tent cities.
You see … the problem Is NOT the number of qualified asylum seekers coming to America. Hell … we need them. It is the number that jumps the border and gets away with no intention of seeking asylum — and the number who get into America and stay but are not eligible under American law to receive asylum – who cause the problem. We have laws to cover that, but Democrats do not want those laws enforced.
Folks can seek asylum in their home nations. If that is not an option in some cases, President Trump had an agreement with Mexico that they would stay there until their cases were adjudicated. If prospective asylum seekers knew in advance that they would have to linger in Mexico while their cases are heard, experts say it would significantly reduce the number of travelers.
There are a number of ways to secure the border, but it takes political determination. Instead, Washington wants to keep the problem alive as a political football. In the meantime, invest in tents.
So, there ‘tis.