In a recent event in Queens, New York, three Republican candidates gathered outside an immigrant shelter in the Southeast Queens District on May 5th to voice their discontent over the surge of undocumented immigrants, open borders, and budget allocations for undocumented migrants. The three Republican candidates were Paul King, running for Congress in the 5th District; Yiatin Chu, running for State Senate in the 11th District; and Dwayne Moore, running for State Assembly in the 29th District. The Queens District Republican Chairman Anthony Nunziato was also present at the press conference.
Paul King, the candidate for Congress in the 5th District, criticized the current immigration policies as chaotic. He emphasized the betrayal of American citizens who value their rights and the rule of law, as well as the betrayal of legal immigrants whose American dreams are being shattered by the influx of undocumented migrants into communities. King called for a restoration of the asylum system, stating that asylum should be a precious privilege for those genuinely in need of protection, not a loophole for continuous delays and backlogs. He proposed giving the President more power to address border security, combat drug cartels, enhance border control, and cut off the flow of undocumented migrants and illegal drugs into the country.
Yiatin Chu, the Chinese-American candidate for State Senate in the 11th District, highlighted the burden placed on New York’s finances due to the influx of 175,000 undocumented immigrants since 2022. She criticized the cost of accommodating undocumented immigrants in New York City’s asylum system, which amounts to $10 billion annually, with each undocumented immigrant family costing $140,000. Chu stressed the need to stop subsidies for undocumented immigrant programs and ensure that companies like Uber Eats and DoorDash do not exploit undocumented migrants at the expense of legal residents’ job opportunities.
Dwayne Moore, the candidate for State Assembly in the 29th District, pointed out that the New York state government allocated over $23 billion to care for undocumented immigrants instead of using these funds for infrastructure improvements, flood alleviation, and education. Moore expressed concern over the low literacy rates among children in New York, particularly African-American children with only 36% reading at grade level. He questioned why billions of dollars are spent on non-citizens while neglecting the educational needs of citizens, especially with the added pressures of non-English-speaking immigrant children in schools.
Moore clarified that his stance is not against immigration but for the well-being of New York taxpayers, emphasizing that taxpayer money should benefit taxpayers. He called for legislation to prohibit non-citizens and individuals without legal status from purchasing property in the state to ensure that taxes serve taxpayers rather than subsidizing undocumented immigrants.
Anthony Nunziato, the Republican Chairman in Queens, supported the exceptional Republican candidates running for office, noting their understanding of the real issues and genuine solutions to address the current challenges faced by New York State and City. Nunziato urged voters to come forward and support these candidates who are committed to correcting the mistakes of the past.