ROCKLAND COUNTY, N.Y. (NewsNation) — As New York City struggles to cope with a continued influx of people seeking asylum, the battle over where to send migrants at the U.S. southern border is heating as Mayor Eric Adams is sparring with two county executives from upstate.
Rockland County Executive Ed Day said Adams picked the wrong person to fight with over the busing of migrants to upstate counties after Adams announced a new strategy to send migrants to two suburban locations outside New York City’s five boroughs.
Day declared a state of emergency, temporarily blocking any migrants from being bused here from New York City to stay at hotels or motels for at least the next 30 days.
Adams plans to send 340 migrants to two hotels in Rockland and Orange counties, north of New York City, providing up to four months of shelter, food and medical services.
Day said no way, not now, maybe not ever.
“Extreme actions warrant extreme measures. I warned the NYC mayor that if you try to run us down, we will reach up and grab you by the throat,” Day said. “This state of emergency declaration is the first of its kind in an inter-municipal scenario. The hotel and any city personnel will be looking at the potential of arrest and/or daily fines of nearly $70,000 for violations of this edict.”
New York City has provided shelter for more than 60,000 migrants and asylum seekers since last spring, according to city officials. The majority of them were bused to cities like New York, Chicago, Philly and D.C. from the southern border under the orders of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
Adams said the migrant influx has created a humanitarian crisis in the city and they’re running out of space to provide housing.
“I cannot ignore the fact that Governor Abbott sent migrants only to cities where there are Black mayors and he’s undermining our cities,” Adams said.
New York is expecting another surge in migrants following the anticipated end of Title 42.
The pandemic-era policy allowed officials to turn away migrants for public health reasons. Once the policy is lifted, border crossings are expected to reach new daily heights.
It’s estimated as many as 10,000 migrants a day could cross the border.
Officials in El Paso, Texas, are planning to bus migrants to places around the country.
“Our job will be able to continue to help our asylum seekers get to the next destination. we will not send anybody to where they don’t want to,” said El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser.
New York City officials said with resources stretched thin, other surrounding cities and counties should help bear the burden as they brace for more migrants.
The city said it will pay for the hotel space, food and other services for the migrants, but Rockland County leaders have said to keep the money and the migrants, they’re not wanted.
In all likelihood, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul will have to step in to help settle this issue. Officials said New York City is a sanctuary city but Rockland is not a sanctuary county, so they have a right to refuse without violating the law.