New York has an in-migration problem, not an out-migration problem

New York State is home Ellis Island the first stop to coming to New York State historically. People come to New York State first after immigrating from overseas. Our state is a state of immigrants, not a state of long-time residents. Refugees come to our state seeking safety. New York has long been the place where people come to get a foothold in America, make some money, and then leave.

It is foolish to think the state can stop out-migration. The weather sucks in New York. It’s cold and snowy. The taxes are high, the government policies draconian and backwards. But it is a state that is famous for being welcoming to immigrants and downtrodden. The state benefits with immigrant that moves in, as not only do they contribute to the economy, they come attached with billions in federal funding.

The state should push for as many refugees and immigrants as possible to make our state their first choice. And not just downstate — immigrants could do much to revitalize our Upstate cities, which often have significant amounts of vacant housing and buildings that could be their next stop on their journey to build a better life.