New York City and Chicago mayors urge the governor of Colorado to cease sending asylum seekers to their cities.

Saturday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot demanded that Colorado Governor Jared Polis cease transporting asylum seekers to their respective cities by bus, citing “overcapacity.”

Adams and Lightfoot wrote to Polis, “We respectfully demand that you cease and desist sending migrants to New York City and Chicago.” Since December of 2022, hundreds of Colorado residents have migrated to Chicago and New York City.

According to the letter, Chicago has received 3,854 asylum seekers from Texas and other states, including Colorado, since August 31. As of January 4, 36,400 asylum seekers had arrived in New York City, according to the letter.

The two mayors expressed a desire to collaborate with Polis in pressuring the federal government for a national solution.

The mayors wrote, “You must stop transporting migrants by bus to Chicago and New York City.” In the case of family reunification, let’s work together to ensure that people are reunited with their loved ones. However, sending migrants to our overcrowded cities, where they may struggle to find shelter and other services, is immoral and further victimizes the most vulnerable individuals.

The letter arrives days after Adams criticized the federal government and Mayor Polis regarding the influx of asylum seekers into the city.

In a previous interview with POLITICO, Polis stated that approximately 70 percent of migrants arriving in Denver have final destinations outside of Colorado, including New York, and that his office was working with Denver officials to assist them in their journey.

As the end of the year approached, the number of asylum seekers crossing the southern border increased as Title 42, a Trump-era policy, was set to expire. In a ruling issued last week, the Supreme Court, however, halted the expiration of this law.

“It is evident that the influx of asylum seekers has caused alarm among states. Although we share concerns about accommodating the influx of asylum seekers, overburdening other cities is not the answer,” the mayors stated.