Greg Abbott adjustments Democratic stronghold

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is shifting public sentiment about immigrants within the Democratic stronghold of New York.

A brand new ballot launched by Siena Faculty on Tuesday confirmed that 84 % of New Yorkers say the current inflow of immigrants is an issue for the state, whereas 57 % described the state of affairs as “very harmful.” These numbers characterize a rising consensus of greater than 117,000 asylum seekers who arrived in New York Metropolis over the previous yr.

Migrants who arrive within the nation’s largest metropolis after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border are pushed there for numerous causes, however Abbott’s Operation Lone Star has been a significant factor in migration patterns. Since spring 2022, the governor has bussed 42,000 migrants from Texas to so-called “sanctuary cities” led by Democratic mayors — together with 15,000 to New York Metropolis — in an effort to stress the Biden administration to tighten federal immigration coverage.

The inflow of immigrants into New York Metropolis has strained the town’s shelter system, faculties and price range and prompted Mayor Eric Adams to more and more criticize the federal authorities for serving to with the prices of accommodating immigrants. New York State has pledged $1.7 billion to help asylum seekers and migrants and has provided to make use of a number of state-owned websites as shelter.

However efforts to deal with the issue in New York by each Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul have performed little to reassure residents. A ballot on Tuesday confirmed that 64 % of New Yorkers say the state has performed sufficient for brand new immigrants and will act to gradual the circulate of immigrants, a rise of six proportion factors from those that stated the identical simply two months in the past.

“Hardly ever can we see an issue the place not less than 79% of Democrats, Republicans, independents, males, girls, Native Individuals, blacks, whites, Latinos, Catholics, Jews, and Protestants agree that the inflow of immigrants is a significant issue.” Steven Greenberg, a pollster at Siena Faculty, stated in a press launch:

“Is New York nonetheless true blue?” Greenberg requested. “It is true that 49% of voters are registered as Democrats and solely 23% as Republicans. It is true that the final Republican presidential candidate to win right here was Ronald Reagan in 1984. Nevertheless it’s additionally true that simply final yr, Republicans have been seven factors away from being elected governor.” “

Final yr, Republicans practically flipped the governor’s seat when Rep. Lee Zeldin’s bid turned the race into New York’s closest gubernatorial election in practically three many years and made Hochul’s re-election win the closest Democratic victory in 40 years.

In an indication that voters disapprove of the work Hochul and Adams have performed to deal with the inflow of immigrants, Greenberg stated in August, “New Yorkers — together with giant majorities of Democrats, Republicans, independents, up and down — overwhelmingly say the current inflow of immigrants into New York is an issue.” “Harmful for the state.”

Abbott defended his determination to ship migrants north from Texas, calling the state of affairs going through sanctuary cities “calm and orderly” in comparison with the “true chaos” the state sees “each hour of day-after-day” and shifting the blame to Biden as a substitute.

“The problem that New York Metropolis and New York State are coping with is brought on by one individual: Joe Biden,” the Republican stated at an occasion hosted by the conservative assume tank Manhattan Institute final month.

Newsweek I reached out to Abbott’s workplace by way of electronic mail for remark.

Evaluation of opinion polls reveals that Abbott succeeded in drawing American public consideration to the border.

When it first started sending migrants to Democratic-led cities final yr, solely 45% of Democrats stated the state of affairs on the border was a disaster, based on an August 2022 Economist/YouGov ballot. One other Ipsos ballot on the time discovered that 40% believed % of Democrats say it’s not less than considerably true that the US is experiencing an invasion on the southern border.