With city-killing costs for migrants, Adams must demand feds close border

The newest budget numbers on Gotham’s migrant crisis are out — and they’re grimmer than anyone could have imagined. 

And they make it all too clear: A mere infusion of money isn’t going to solve this problem.

The costs will only keep ballooning; New Yorkers will have to keep sacrificing. Endlessly.

That is, unless Mayor Eric Adams shifts gears, demands a full closure of the border — and in the meantime rescinds the automatic right to shelter, at least for illegal immigrants, and begins sending them elsewhere.

Adams unveiled the new projections Wednesday showing the overall tab for sheltering, feeding, clothing and providing medical care for illegal migrants rising to $12 billion by the end of fiscal 2025.

That’s nearly as much, Adams points out, as the entire budgets of New York’s Parks Department, Sanitation Department and the FDNY combined. 

The projections for the rest of 2024 and 2025 hit $4.7 billion and $6.1 billion, up from the already eye-watering $2.9 and $1.0 billion initial figures — and that 2025 cost is predicated on a zeroing out of inflows, which means it’s highly optimistic. 

The new cost projections mean the city will need an additional $7 billion beyond what’s already needed. 

Which means that, barring massive federal action to secure the border, New Yorkers may well be facing cuts to services. 

Adams largely focused on the city’s long history of welcoming immigrants and on getting more aid from the feds.

That last’s not unreasonable: The Biden administration created this problem. 

From quite literally his first day in office, the president began shredding our southern border, inviting in millions and overwhelming border towns — and then, New York City. 

But more fed money, no matter how much, will only delay the final reckoning. 

The only way to end the crisis is to reverse Biden’s open-border policy posture.

That is what Adams should be demanding, no matter how politically difficult it may be. 

To save his city, the mayor needs to make it clear: Enough is enough.

Send illegal migrants to other places. New York really does have no more room.

Move to fully end the absurd “right to shelter” law crippling the city.

Demand fellow Dems in DC fight the administration’s insane intransigence on this issue. 

Appeals to New York’s tradition of welcoming immigrants are noble. 

But without real action to shut down illegal inflows at the border, and end the rising tide in New York, there won’t be much of a city left to welcome anyone soon.