Biden skips summit with Democrat mayors seeking $5B for migrant crisis

WASHINGTON — President Biden did not attend a White House meeting Thursday with big-city mayors seeking $5 billion to finance local services for migrants released at the US-Mexico border.

White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and senior adviser Tom Perez instead met with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, both Democrats.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams had also been scheduled to attend the 9 a.m. meeting and posted a video of himself aboard a flight to DC — before abruptly canceling and returning to New York as the FBI raided the Brooklyn home of campaign fundraiser Brianna Suggs.

It was not immediately clear if a representative for Adams or a member of his staff attended the meeting, which followed a rebuke from the leaders of five of America’s largest cities.

The 80-year-old president received a 10 a.m. intelligence briefing at the White House, according to his public schedule, which reflected no other morning obligations.

Adams, Johnson, Johnston, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner wrote to Biden on Oct. 28 to request a meeting.

“To address this crisis without further delay, we are requesting an urgent meeting with you to directly discuss ways we can work with your administration to avoid large numbers of additional asylum seekers being brought to our cities with little to no coordination, support, or resources,” the mayors wrote.

“We request an appropriation of $5 billion to cover the expenditures our cities have already incurred and to continue serving the growing number of people arriving in our communities.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Thursday that “I cannot speak to the $5 billion” sought by the mayors, but said the Biden administration does want additional funding approved by Congress.

It’s unclear why Biden chose not to meet with the mayors faulting his handling of migration. However, he also opted out of an Aug. 30 White House meeting with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul after she too criticized the federal response.

The White House requested on Oct. 20 that Congress provide $1.4 billion to state and local governments for “shelter and services for migrants released from DHS custody.”

But the mayors argued that even more was needed to cope with record-breaking numbers of migrants illegally crossing the border before awaiting asylum decisions inside the US. Asylum seekers are able to get work permits after 180 days, but local officials have asked for even swifter approval.

“Right now, Denver is spending almost $2 million a week on shelter, New York City has surpassed $1.7 billion in spending and Chicago has spent over $320 million,” the group wrote to Biden. “Our cities need additional resources that far exceed the amount proposed in order to properly care for the asylum seekers entering our communities.”