Gov. Kathy Hochul, the New York governor, attacked the White House on Thursday for not doing enough to assist the influx of migrants to New York. She urged the White House to increase federal assistance and expedite the work permits.

In a livestreamed speech from the State Capitol, the Democratic Governor sought to redouble efforts to address 100,000 asylum seekers who have arrived in New York City during the last year. Polls showed that voters were not happy with her response.

Hochul used the podium to publicly pressure the Biden administration for more financial aid. He also announced two new Department of Labor Programs that will help employers who are looking to hire immigrants and migrants seeking jobs after receiving work authorization.

Hochul highlighted a letter that she sent to Biden on Thursday.

The speech shows the growing divide among Democrats, as the migration of migrants is not abating. This strains services in New York while presenting a liability to the party going into the elections of 2024.

Hochul repeated her calls for a streamlined work authorization process, a message she and New York City mayor Eric Adams repeatedly conveyed to President Joe Biden. White House officials blame Congress for the failure to change immigration policy.

“For me the solution to these two crises – a humanitarian crisis, and our workforce crisis – is crystal clear and commonsense. Hochul said, “Let them get work authorizations. Let them work. Legally, let them be employed.”

She called on the federal government also to identify federally-owned land and sites that could be used as temporary shelters by asylum seekers. She requested reimbursement for 1,900 New York National Guardsmen who provided logistical and operational assistance to the state’s migrants.

Angelo Fernandez Hernandez, White House spokesperson, said in a statement that the administration continues to collaborate with New York. This includes a recent trip by senior advisor Tom Perez.

“We will continue our partnership with communities throughout the country to ensure that they receive the support they require. Fernandez Hernandez stated that only Congress could provide the additional funding requested by this administration and fix the broken immigration system.

The Biden administration has not yet approved the use of Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn as a shelter for 2,000 people.

Hochul’s handling the migrant crises has been criticised for a long time, not just by political opponents, but also by recent polls.

A Siena College survey on Tuesday revealed that a majority disapproved of her approach, despite the fact she has allocated $1.5 billion to state aid for the problem. This includes a recent $20,000,000 to speed up the asylum application process.

Hochul criticised Adams’ actions on Thursday, including the busing of asylum seekers to hotels upstate New York. Her administration had questioned this in court documents and it has angered local leaders. This is especially true in the Hudson Valley, where important congressional elections will take place next year.

Hochul said in her almost 9-minute speech that, while the city was legally obligated to provide shelter for all those who sought it, this did not apply to the remainder of the state, as the city claimed in the court case. Adams and Hochul tried to present a united front on this issue in public, but the story that is being told in court is quite different.

She said that the agreement does not cover the other 57 counties of the state. “We will not ask migrants to move into other areas of the state without their consent, nor will we force them to do so,” she added.

Asylum seekers outside of the city often struggle to find employment. When they do, employers exploit them with wage theft and unsavory working conditions, or threaten deportation if they complain.

The two new initiatives of the state Department of Labor aim to create a system whereby migrants who obtain work authorization can be linked quickly with employers looking for assistance.

Hochul stated that there were approximately 460,000 job openings available in New York by June. This would be enough to accommodate every migrant worker. Her aides reported that at least 2,600 family members had applied for asylum in the past two months.

Hochul stated, “I’m confident that we can get through this crisis as New Yorkers if the federal governments steps up and plays its part.”