Northeast
NYC mayor ripped by immigration activists over ‘racist’ claim that migrants make ‘excellent swimmers’
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is taking fire from immigration activists over what they say is a “racist” comment about migrants being suitable to fill a shortage of lifeguards as they are “excellent swimmers” — but the mayor’s office claims they are missing the point.
“New Yorkers are looking to Mayor Eric Adams to unite our City, not foment more division. His comments on asylum seekers being ‘excellent swimmers’ implies that because some immigrants had to swim or wade across water on their dangerous journeys to seek safety in the United States, that they would make good lifeguards,” Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition said in a statement.
“This comment is racist, and the Mayor should not be making light of the perilous and often life-threatening journeys people are forced to make to escape violence and persecution,” he added. “It’s demeaning and dehumanizing.”
‘EXCELLENT SWIMMERS’: DEM MAYOR FLOATS MIGRANTS AS SOLUTION FOR CITY’S LIFEGUARD SHORTAGE
Awawdeh was reacting to comments Adams made Tuesday when he was asked at a press conference about a lifeguard shortage in the city as Memorial Day approaches.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks to reporters on Oct. 12, 2023. (New York City )
He said the situation could be helped “If we had a migrant and asylum seeker plan that states those jobs that we are… in high demand we could expedite.”
“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,” he said.
“That just doesn’t make sense.”
He listed off other occupations, including food service workers and nurses, where the Big Apple could face shortages.
Migrants camp out in front of the Watson Hotel after being evicted, on February 01, 2023 in New York City. (Leonardo Munoz/VIEWpres)
“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,” he said. “That just does not make sense.”
The comments drew surprise from conservatives as well as activists, with them viewing the comment as a gaffe. But Adams has repeatedly called for the expediting of work permits to allow those in the country claiming asylum to be able to work.
The mayor’s office pushed back against the criticism in a statement on Wednesday.
DEM MAYOR FACES BACKLASH FOR CITY’S ‘HAPHAZARD’ MIGRANT POLICY: ‘CRUELTY’
“With more than 197,000 migrants who have come through our care since the spring of 2022, Mayor Adams has been clear that there is nothing more un-American than not allowing someone to work,” a city hall spokesperson said.
“The mayor has repeatedly pointed out that there are people in our shelter system right now who are qualified for vacant city jobs — in industries such as food service, construction, manufacturing, lifeguarding, and more — and yet, we cannot hire them because the federal government has not issued them work authorization and the right to work,” they said. “Anyone who is trying to make more out of the mayor continuing to make that point today is missing the forest for the trees.”
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His office also pointed to multiple instances this year where Adams has called for migrants to be given the ability to work — including as lifeguards.
“We need everything from lifeguards to workers in the racing industry to food service workers,” Adams said earlier this month on FOX5 “Good Day New York.” “It’s really ironic that when we need so many employees across the country, where states and cities are seeing a drop in population, I think that when people are paroled legally into the country, we should designate where they go based on the needs of the country and allow them to work there for three years, and then allow them to go anywhere in the country.”
Adams has also called for a national resettlement strategy and additional funding from the federal government.
Get the latest updates on the ongoing border crisis from the Fox News Digital immigration hub.
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The Pierson Library and The Flying Pig Bookstore invite you to an author talk with Vermont writer Stephen P. Kiernan, celebrating his new novel, Pollock’s Last Lover: A Novel of Art and Deception.
Set in New York City across the 1950s and early 2000s, the novel follows two women whose lives intersect through the legacy of painter Jackson Pollock. When a woman claims to possess his final painting, worth millions, a young auction house associate is tasked with verifying its authenticity, uncovering deeper questions of ambition, power, and artistic legacy. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.
Pierson Library
Free
07:00 PM – 08:00 PM on Wed, 27 May 2026
new video loaded: Judge Grants Luigi Mangione’s Request to Supress Some Evidence
transcript
transcript
Judge Grants Luigi Mangione’s Request to Supress Some Evidence
A New York State judge ruled prosecutors cannot use some of the evidence found inside Luigi Mangione’s backpack when he was arrested. Mr. Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive, Brian Thompson, outside a Manhattan hotel in 2024.
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“I find that the search of the backpack at the McDonald’s was improper, warrantless search. Therefore, those items found in the backpack during the search at the McDonald’s will be suppressed.” “Thank you. What’s your name?” “Mark.” “What is it?” “Mark.” “Mark?” “Yes, sir. “Mark what?” “Rosario.” “Rosario — someone called. They thought you were suspicious.” “As Miranda warnings were not given until some seconds after 9:48 in the morning, those statements made shortly before that, in response to improper custodial questions that were not merely a request for pedigree information, will be suppressed.”
By Cynthia Silva
May 18, 2026
A first-of-its-kind remote airport terminal is set to launch in Massachusetts next month, giving some travelers flying out of Boston’s Logan International Airport the option to complete TSA screening nearly 25 miles away before heading straight to their gate.
Starting June 1, the Massachusetts Port Authority will open the Logan Airport Remote Terminal at 19 Flutie Pass along Route 9 in Framingham. Passengers will be able to check in for their flights, drop off luggage and complete TSA screening before ever reaching Logan Airport. After that, they will board a dedicated shuttle bus driven by Massport operators that takes them directly to their airside gate.
“It’s going to be more seamless, more convenient for the passengers and the traveling public,” Massport Deputy Director of Roadway Management Peter Howe told CBS News. “We want to see how this pilot goes to see what we can learn from it and how we can expand.”
During the pilot phase, the service will be limited to Delta Air Lines and JetBlue passengers traveling on flights scheduled between 5:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Shuttle buses, which hold about 55 passengers each, will run hourly from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m., with tickets costing $9 each way. Buses are scheduled to arrive at Logan at least 45 minutes before departure.
The Framingham site also includes about 400 parking spaces priced at $7 per day, which is significantly cheaper than parking rates at Logan.
Security remains a central focus throughout the new process, according to Massport. After passengers check their bags, those items stay secured for transport and contingency plans are in place to handle any unexpected issues along the route.
“You’ve got state-of-the-art equipment, this is all regulated just as if you’re flying to an airport,” Daniel Blake, the VP of Airport Experience for JetBlue, told CBS News. “Those of you who like aviation, you’re going to be [dropped off] ramp side, so you’ll be among the airplanes walking up – it’s going to be a pretty cool sight.”
The concept is modeled in part on similar systems operated by The Landline Company in cities like Philadelphia and Chicago, where passengers are bused from regional locations directly to major hub airports for connecting flights.
“The magic of this is that the stress and the headache that you experience when you’re pulling up to a big airport, you’re wondering how long the baggage line is, how long the security line, all these kind of anxieties that come to your mind. We take care of all those up front,” Landline CEO David Sunde told CBS News.
Framingham passengers can already begin booking shuttle tickets, which are available from 90 days up to 90 minutes before departure. However, Massport is encouraging travelers to book early, since seating will be limited during the pilot phase and adjustments are expected as the program gets underway.
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