Play stupid games, win stupid prizes was the phrase that came to mind for many Americans when they heard New York City Mayor Eric Adams crying on television that the hordes of migrants he begged for, when his city became a sanctuary city for illegals, came back to bite him. Despite his flip-flopping from supporting more illegal immigrants to now warning “This issue will destroy our city,” the three networks ignored Adams bringing this migrant crisis on himself and instead simply regurgitated his warnings.
“Here in New York City tonight, the mayor, Eric Adams, now warning that the overflow of migrants from Texas and Florida will, quote, destroy the city,” ABC World News Tonight anchor David Muir reported.
From there, senior investigative reporter Aaron Katersky chimed in and announced that “More than 110,000 migrants have arrived in New York,” and then fretted “a dire warning” from Adams.
“We're getting no support on this national crisis. I don't see an ending to this. I don't see an ending to this,” Adams worried. “This issue will destroy New York City. Destroy New York City.”
Of course, nowhere in ABC’s newscast was it mentioned that Adams and liberal city council made New York a sanctuary city.
On CBS Evening News, it was the same thing. Anchor Norah O’Donnell sympathetically reported on Adams's belief that the flood of illegals would lead to the demise of New York City.
“The mayor of New York City is sounding the alarm, saying the cost of caring for migrants is pushing America's largest city to the brink,” O’Donnell reported. “Resources are stretched across the city, with schools stressed by more than 20,000 migrant children now attending there. The humanitarian crisis brought on by waves of migrants looking for a new life in the U.S. is worsening.”
Correspondent Omar Villafranca tried blaming the migrant crisis in New York City on Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott: “More than 100,000 migrants have arrived in New York City in the last year. More than 13,000 bussed in by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.”
The truth was Abbott simply gave Adams what he wanted since, at the time, Adams was pretending to be a “compassionate liberal” and preached how legal status didn't matter. That, plus the fact that Texas was being overrun with illegals made it an easy decision to send them to New York City.
Among the three networks, only CBS Evening News aired a soundbite from a Republican. It wasn't just any Republican either, it was Texas Senator Ted Cruz: "Seeing Eric Adams complain about 100,000, it is cute, but he still doesn't bother to put the blame where it belongs."
Finally, on NBC Nightly News, anchor Lester Holt actually opened the Thursday evening broadcast with the report. Of course, it was accompanied by a pompous opening by Holt: “New York one of many cities struggling to house and resettle an influx of asylum seekers, at times pleading for more federal help. Now, as New York works to absorb and educate so many new students at once, its mayor, Eric Adams declaring yesterday the migrant issue will destroy New York City.”
Not one of the three networks informed their viewers that New York City was a sanctuary city for illegal aliens. If you didn’t know any better you’d think Adams & his city were simply bystanders to this disaster instead of helping cause it.
This coverage was made possible by Allstate on ABC, Salonpas on CBS, and Progressive on NBC. Their information is linked.
The transcripts are below:
ABC’s World News Tonight
9/7/2023
6:44:03 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: Meantime, back here in the U.S. tonight, and the migrant crisis, far from the border. Here in New York City tonight, the mayor, Eric Adams, now warning that the overflow of migrants from Texas and Florida will, quote, destroy the city. The White House responding tonight. And here's our senior investigative reporter Aaron Katersky now.
AARON KATERSKY: Tonight, on the first day of school, the population of the nation's largest public school system is soaring, adding nearly 20,000 students -- the children of migrant families shipped north on buses provided by Texas and Florida. More than 110,000 migrants have arrived in New York, and now a dire warning from Democratic mayor Eric Adams.
MAYOR ERIC ADAMS: We're getting no support on this national crisis. 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.
KATERSKY: An already overtaxed school system is racing to find more desks and more teachers. And the city is struggling to house migrant families, trying to make space in hotels by moving single adults into a new tent shelter. Today, New York's Democratic Governor appealing directly to the White House.
GOV. KATHY HOCHUL: We have to focus not on the politics of this, but focus on doing what's right, and the answer falls with Washington.
KATERSKY: A similar plea is coming from other cities, including Los Angeles and Chicago, where migrants have been sleeping on police station floors. Back here in New York, the mayor says the cost is too much to bare.
ADAMS: Every community in this city is going to be impacted. Every service in this city is going to be impacted. All of us.
KATERSKY: The White House insists it is providing money, and working to do more. Administration officials spoke with the governor today, called that call constructive, but David, the White House says ultimately, only Congress can fix our broken immigration system, and there's just no sign of any movement on that David?
CBS Evening News
9/7/2023
6:39:04 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: The mayor of New York City is sounding the alarm, saying the cost of caring for migrants is pushing America's largest city to the brink. Resources are stretched across the city, with schools stressed by more than 20,000 migrant children now attending there. The humanitarian crisis brought on by waves of migrants looking for a new life in the U.S. is worsening. Here is CBS's Omar Villafranca.
OMAR VILLAFRANCA: From the border to the Big Apple.
MAYOR ERIC ADAMS: Started with a madman down in Texas deciding he wanted to bus people up to New York City.
VILLAFRANCA: New York City Mayor Eric Adams sounded off on the flow of migrants to NYC. Thousands of them arriving on buses from Texas. Without federal dollars to help, the mayor says there is no space or money to house them.
ADAMS: This issue will destroy New York City. We are getting 10,000 migrants a month. Every community in this city is going to be impacted.
VILLAFRANCA: More than 100,000 migrants have arrived in New York City in the last year. More than 13,000 bussed in by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Abbott blames President Biden's border policies for the influx and says liberal cities should shoulder some of that burden. Abbott has bused migrants across the country. More than 11,000 to Washington, D.C. 6400 Chicago, and 1,000 to Denver come as part of his Operation Lone Star. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas had this reaction to Adams.
SENATOR TED CRUZ: Seeing Eric Adams complain about 100,000, it is cute, but he still doesn't bother to put the blame where it belongs.
NBC Nightly News
9/7/2023
6:31:51 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: The nerves and anticipation associated with the first day of school are taking on a new dimension in classrooms across America tonight amid a growing number of arriving migrant families seeking asylum here, and presenting school systems with unique challenges to teaching and learning. New York City today with its 900,000 student enrollment welcoming an additional 21,000 migrant children into classrooms as its school year got underway. New York one of many cities struggling to house and resettle an influx of asylum seekers, at times pleading for more federal help. Now as New York works to absorb and educate so many new students at once, its mayor, Eric Adams declaring yesterday the migrant issue will destroy New York City.
