Bill de Blasio is trying to insert himself into the foreign policy arena. The New York City mayor, more specifically, has commented on the deaths of refugees crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
“Drowning deaths off Libya are a man-made tragedy. EU must get serious about tackling the problem at the root and caring for those at home,” de Blasio says on Twitter.
Drowning deaths off Libya are a man-made tragedy. EU must get serious about tackling the problem at the root and caring for those at home.
— Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 20, 2015
The New York Times reports on the crisis: “As of Monday, there have been about 17 times as many refugee deaths in the Mediterranean Sea from January to April compared to the same period last year, according to initial estimates from the International Organization for Migration. The increase in crossings has mainly occurred on Mediterranean Sea routes to Italy, though there have been other crossings along the northern African coast. The number of crossings is expected to remain high this year. In the first 17 days of April, 11,000 people have been rescued in the Mediterranean Sea.”
De Blasio’s foreign policy comments come a week after he refused to endorse his old boss, Hillary Clinton, in the presidential race.
Clinton has yet to weigh in on the refugee deaths.
