Transcript: Mayor Adams Appears on WABC's "Eyewitness News at 11"

September 20, 2023

Bill Ritter: As for New York Mayor Adams, I spoke with him just moments ago about the president's big action tonight and why he didn't include people other than Venezuelans. There are several thousand of them here in New York, they will be able to work immediately. 

Mayor Eric Adams: Right now, this will impact 15,000 out of the 60,000 asylum seekers who are in our care. And we are getting 10,000 a month. 

Ritter: Why did he pick the half a million, nearly half a million Venezuelans, and why not include other countries? 

Mayor Adams: I am hoping that this is the start of looking at all of the countries that are coming into New York City and the other municipalities. I don't believe any city should have to carry this national problem. I believe this should be the first step at looking at all these countries and the other Venezuelans, because it didn't take all the Venezuelans that have arrived here.  

Ritter: A very big development, but again, Mayor Adams says, the first step.  

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