Former Governor Andrew Cuomo recently used his podcast to launch a pointed critique of Joe Biden’s immigration policies, suggesting that the lack of preparedness for their consequences was a mistake. Cuomo argued that the southern states were right to warn against abruptly changing border policies without mitigating the potential fallout of those changes.

“It was a mistake for President Biden to open the border without having a plan to handle the tremendous flow of people,” Cuomo explained, adding, “President Biden had said he would do it in the campaign — but you can’t change a policy unless you have the program in place to manage the change.”

“The southern states were right that opening the border created a tremendous hardship for them to handle. They were right that the federal government was not prepared,” he said, adding, “This is a federal problem. Immigration is a federal responsibility. … The border is not just the gateway for people, but for drugs. This is on top of a homeless problem that had already strained resources in urban areas.”

He noted on “As a Matter of Fact…” that Biden had promised during his campaign to open the border but failed to have a plan in place to handle the large flow of people. Without such foresight, he said, stifling repercussions would naturally arise for not only those residing near the U.S.-Mexico Border but also sanctuary cities like New York City where immigrants had been bused in.

Cuomo went so far as to call this situation an “unnecessary hardship” for residents in border states and reiterated his belief that immigration is a federal responsibility, and the government should have been more prepared in its handling of this crisis. He commended Vice President Kamala Harris’ plan to invest in Central American businesses in order to reduce illegal immigration at its source.

Going forward, Cuomo advised Biden and his team not only be mindful when creating new immigration policies but also ensure they possess plans in place ahead of time that can effectively manage any potential consequences brought about by enacting them. This approach has been recommended by advocacy groups and experts alike who stress the importance of proper preparation before making sweeping changes to existing programs or regulations.