Opinion: Create a NYC migrant work permit: Let the newcomers get paying jobs

The 100,000 migrants who have arrived in New York City since last spring didn’t come here to roil our politics — they came in search of a better life and safety for their families. As the proud son of Afro-Latino immigrants, I know how vital immigration is to our city and state.

From its earliest days, immigrants have built New York City into the financial and cultural capital of the world. I cannot conceive of my hometown without the previous waves of Chinese, Latin, Irish, Italian, Jewish and Caribbean immigration — just to name a few! — that have all contributed so much to New York’s success.

It’s also true that the current migrant wave is different from prior ones, and instead of seeing this moment as an opportunity to build a stronger and more affordable city for everyone, New Yorkers have been subject to an endless feedback loop of name-calling, blame-shifting and lacking leadership.

It’s time to step up with creative and thoughtful solutions, just as previous New York leaders have turned earlier challenges into opportunity.