The office of New York City Mayor Eric Adams sidestepped questions from Fox News Digital on whether the Democrat still supports noncitizens voting in elections after he had warned that the migrant crisis will "destroy" his city.
After entering office in January 2022, Adams enacted a law permitting noncitizens to vote in the Big Apple after not signing or vetoing it. The law passed the New York City Council one month before he became mayor in December 2021.
The law created a class of "municipal voters," comprising noncitizens who reside in the city for at least 30 days before an election and register or pre-register to vote. Under it, municipal voters were granted the right to participate in elections for mayor, public advocate, comptroller, borough president and council member.
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However, the law has faced roadblocks and remains in limbo. The New York Supreme Court ruled it was illegal in June 2022, and it remains caught up in court.
Since that time, Adams has become increasingly outspoken about the migrant crisis in his city, which has been grappling with the influx of more than 110,000 migrants since last year.
"Let me tell you something, New Yorkers," Adams said in September. "Never in my life have I had a problem that I did not see an ending to. I don't see an ending to this. I don't see an ending to this. This issue will destroy New York City. Destroy New York City. We're getting 10,000 migrants a month."
"We had a $12 billion deficit that we're going to have to cut. Every service in this city is going to be impacted. All of us," Adams said. "It's going to come to your neighborhoods. All of us are going to be impacted by this. I said it last year when we had 15,000. I'm telling you now with 110,000. The city we knew we're about to lose. And we're all in this together."
Fox News Digital contacted Adams' office asking whether he still supports allowing noncitizens to vote in New York City after warning of the dire migrant crisis.
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A spokesperson from his office responded on Thursday and sidestepped the question, telling Fox News Digital that it is an "ongoing legal process" and that they are "going to let it play out."
Adams, meanwhile, has been behind the earlier reported legal push allowing them to vote, signaling that he still supports it despite his public rhetoric on the crisis.
Throughout the process, the law has faced opposition from numerous Republican lawmakers in the Empire State.
"There is nothing more important than preserving the integrity of our election system," New York Rep. Nicole Malliotakis said in June. "The government should be working to create more trust in our elections, not less. As New York State and federal law clearly state, the right to vote is a sacred right given only to United States citizens."
"The mayor’s push to appeal the State Supreme Court’s decision is reckless and cynical, particularly as he incentivizes mass migration by providing free housing and other services," she said. "I join my colleagues in calling on the mayor to withdraw this effort that would dilute the voices of American citizens and forever change our city as we know it."
