New York Governor Kathy Hochul says members of the National Guard have been deployed to guard the NYC subway

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that hundreds of members of the National Guard have been deployed to patrol New York’s subway system this holiday season.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Hochul confirmed that 750 National Guard members and 250 members of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) police were recently sent to guard New York City train stations.

“It’s clear to me, as I’ve heard from many people, that the presence of the National Guard has made not just a physical difference, but a psychological difference in how they feel about safety,” Hochul said. “When people see a person in uniform … even our National Guard, they feel safer.”

Hochul previously unveiled her five-point subway safety plan in March when she deployed 750 members of National Guard to assist the New York Police Department (NYPD) with bag searches at the entrances of busy train stations.

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New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the deployment of hundreds of members of the National Guard on Wednesday to patrol New York’s subway system. (Getty Images)

“When I saw an increase (in crime) … I knew we had to stabilize quickly and make sure we didn’t start going in the wrong direction again,” Hochul said. “A lot of people thought they wouldn’t make a difference, and I’m incredibly proud of these people in uniform here with me today.”

Hochul also touted a drop in metro crime during the news conference Wednesday. In March, the Democrat predicted her plans would create a “deterrent effect.”

“For people who are considering taking a gun or knife on the subway, this at least creates a deterrent effect,” Hochul said at the time. “They might think, ‘You know what, it just can’t be worth it because I listened to the mayor and I listened to the governor and they’ve got a lot more people checking my bags.'”

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Members of the NYPD and National Guard conduct random bag searches in the New York City subway system in March. (Matthew McDermott for Fox News Digital)

The decision comes as New York City officials continue to fight violent crime in the Big Apple. Earlier in December, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) report showed that in New York City alone, there are 58,000 illegal immigrants who have been convicted of or are facing criminal charges.

Of the 58,626 criminal migrants, 1,153 are “suspected or known gang members,” the report added.

Hochul has previously received criticism for the move to add members of the National Guard to the subways. On an episode of “Outnumbered,” Fox News co-host Emily Compagno called the move “too little, too late.”

A pair of heavily armed New York National Guard soldiers patrol Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Gov. Kathy Hochul is sending the National Guard into New York’s subway system to help police search passengers’ bags for weapons. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

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“I can remember on her first day in office when she sent a letter to (Manhattan) DA Alvin Bragg… saying basically it should be sent up or drafted and then nothing,” the “Outnumbered” co-host argued. “So if security was really a priority for her, why can we rewind or can’t we rewind to go back and have her implement and enforce those policies then? Why didn’t she remove him from office? And now we to put the National Guard in place.”

Fox News Digital’s Bradford Betz and Michael Lee contributed to this report.