Eric Adams compares migrant surge to ‘natural disaster,’ rips feds again

It’s a “disaster.”

A furious Mayor Eric Adams demanded Monday that the federal government mount a COVID-level response to help the Big Apple providing housing and social services to the thousands of migrants who have arrived in the city from the southern border.

Hizzoner escalated his rhetoric hours after City Hall announced new plans to open an emergency shelter facility inside the cruise ship terminal in Brooklyn’s Red Hook and released stats that put the number of arrivals at more than 41,600.

“Where’s our national response?” Adams asked during a news conference in The Bronx.

“I can understand those who are looking at what we’re doing through the prism of a normal situation,” he continued. “What I’m going to ask of them is look at this at the situation of a crisis.”

“The same we looked at COVID, the same way we respond when there’s a major flooding, the same way when we have a natural disaster,” he added.

The remarks were the latest in a weeks-long push by Adams to amp up the pressure on leaders in Washington and Albany, highlighted by his controversial statement that there is “no room at the inn.”

© Provided by New York Post Mayor Eric Adams compared the city’s migrant crisis to a “natural disaster” as he continued to ask for federal assistance.Matthew McDermott

In addition to asking for $2 billion, Adams has requested that Biden do more to stop border crossings and pushed Gov. Kathy Hochul to relocate migrants from New York City to communities outside of the five boroughs.

During her fall election campaign, Hochul said that request would only be considered after migrants have gotten their working papers — a process that can take months.

Meanwhile, Adams defended his handling of the wave of arrivals from South America — many of whom have come to New York from Venezuela to claim asylum in a bid to escape that country’s widespread political violence and economic collapse.

© Provided by New York Post Migrants from the border arriving at the Port Authority Bus Terminal on January 5, 2023.Gregory P. Mango

“If you have an emergency or you have a hurricane or you have a terrible flood, we utilized this during COVID-19,” said Adams, clearly frustrated with the criticism.

“People forgot about that. We utilized ships during COVID-19, people forgot that,” he continued. “We used ships to house people. We opened tents in Central Park. We had trailers in front of hospitals because the morgues were overwhelmed.”

“When there’s a crisis, you must use all your tools,” the mayor added.

© Provided by New York Post Adams announced he plans to open an emergency shelter facility at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook.Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Advocates for the homeless and indigent blasted the temporary housing in buildings on the Red Hook docks as “needlessly” exposing “future residents to the elements during some of the coldest months of the year.”

“Hotels have always been the better short-term option,” read a statement from the Coalition for the Homeless and the Legal Aid Society, “in contrast to erecting tents in inaccessible parts of New York City that are prone to flooding.”