Adams Floats Migrants as Solution to NYC's Lifeguard Shortage

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has proposed a novel solution to the city's lifeguard shortage: allowing migrants to fill the roles. Adams argues that many migrants are excellent swimmers and could help address the city's shortfall.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has raised eyebrows with his proposal to allow migrants to work as lifeguards to alleviate the city's shortage in the role. Adams' suggestion sparked mixed reactions, with some praising his open-mindedness and others expressing concerns about safety and eligibility.

At a press conference held on Tuesday, Adams addressed the lifeguard shortage looming over the city as Memorial Day and the summer months draw near. He pointed out that many migrants in the city are "excellent swimmers" and could help fill the gap.

"How do we have a large body of people that are in our city, and country, that are excellent swimmers and, at the same time, we need lifeguards -- and the only obstacle is that we won’t give them the right to work to become a lifeguard," Adams questioned. "That just doesn’t make sense."

Adams went on to list other occupations, including food service workers and nurses, where New York City faces shortages. He emphasized that many migrants are eager to work and possess the necessary skills, but bureaucratic hurdles prevent them from doing so.

"We have all these eligible people waiting to work with the skills we need to fill the jobs but we are unable to allow them to work because bureaucracy is in the way," Adams said. "That just does not make sense."

New York City has been grappling with a migrant crisis in recent years. According to officials, over 195,000 migrants have entered the shelter system since 2022, with more than 65,000 still residing in shelters.

Adams is among a chorus of blue city mayors calling for additional funding and expedited work permits to address the influx of migrants. A spokesperson for Adams recently urged the federal government to provide "meaningful financial support, to create a national resettlement strategy for migrants, and to finish the job they started by allowing the hundreds of thousands of those they let into this country to immediately work."

However, Adams' proposal to allow migrants to become lifeguards drew criticism from some conservatives online. Some compared it to New York Governor Kathy Hochul's recent controversial claim that black children in the Bronx are unfamiliar with the term "computer."

"So the NY Governor thinks black kids in the Bronx don't know what computers are and the mayor thinks illegal immigrants should be lifeguards because they're "excellent swimmers,’" commentator Dana Loesch tweeted. "The GOP should be making ads off these insane elements."

Other critics expressed concerns about the safety implications of allowing migrants to work as lifeguards, questioning their qualifications and training. However, Adams maintained that migrants should be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and contribute to the city.

"I'm not going to allow bureaucracy to get in the way of saving lives," Adams said. "If someone is qualified to be a lifeguard, they should be able to be a lifeguard, regardless of their immigration status."

The proposal remains under discussion, and it is unclear whether it will be implemented. However, it has sparked a debate about the role of migrants in addressing the city's workforce shortages and the need for a comprehensive approach to immigration and humanitarian crises.