It should shame us all that even as we tout ourselves as being a progressive, inclusive and welcoming place, the city is so expensive that refugees are being actively cautioned against trying to resettle here.

We point to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, proclaiming the city as a refuge for the “huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” But despite the call to “give me your tired, your poor,” New York City is no longer the destination for those in need of a new home and a place to restart their lives, and this is an utter failure.

Last month, the State Department released a list of places where Afghan refugees can choose to be resettled, following two decades of war and turmoil. The 19 cities, ranging from Portland to Atlanta to Buffalo, were selected for their reasonable cost of living, housing availability, supportive services and welcoming communities.

New York City is not on the list.

Immigrants play a major role in New York City’s economy, comprising nearly 40% of the population and 44% of our workforce. In the 1970s, a massive resurgence in immigration here brought the city out of fiscal decline and led its transformation into one of the most prosperous cities in the world. Since then, thriving social and cultural networks have facilitated more immigration, adding to the municipal tax base and funding public services and infrastructure. Immigrant New Yorkers have built up our economy and revitalized neighborhoods by investing in homes, growing small businesses, and more.

… Throughout the devastation of COVID-19, New York has relied on its immigrant communities even more than before. Many of the people who have delivered our food and groceries and kept our public infrastructure running are immigrants. Many of the small businesses that have stayed open so that New Yorkers could maintain access to daily needs are immigrant-owned. These workers and businesses did not abandon the city during its time of need; they made sure that many other people could work safely from home, and kept their neighbors fed and supported.

So it should shame us all that even as we tout ourselves as being a progressive, inclusive and welcoming place, the city is so expensive that refugees are being actively cautioned against trying to resettle here.

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