NYC sues counties preventing relocation of asylum-seekers

New York City has received tens of thousands of migrants since last spring
Mayor Eric Adams has begun sending some to other areas for housing
Some of those counties have passed orders barring the relocations

Updated: Jun 7, 2023 / 02:17 PM CDT

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 03: Asylum seekers arrive at Port Authority on May 3, 2023, in New York City. Mayor Eric Adams criticized Texas Governor Greg Abbott for playing politics with people’s lives as the Governor resumes busing asylum seekers to New York and other cities. Mayor Adams continues to strongly urge federal intervention, as the cost of providing assistance to the asylum seekers is expected to reach billions of dollars. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

(NewsNation) — New York City is suing 30 counties that have passed executive orders preventing the city from relocating asylum-seekers to their areas.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly called on other cities and towns to help share the responsibility of housing and providing services for migrants. Many of those requiring care have been bused to New York from border states such as Texas that have sought to move migrants from their states to sanctuary cities.

More than 74,000 asylum-seekers have passed through New York City since last spring, and many remain in the city. Adams has pleaded for help when it comes to providing shelter, as his administration has scrambled to find ways to house those arriving in the city, including looking for housing outside New York’s five boroughs, paid for by the city.

When the city began sending migrants to upstate locations, a number of counties worked to prohibit sending migrants their way. The lawsuit filed by New York City officials is asking the court to declare those orders null and void and to prohibit counties from enforcing bans on migrants.

“While many communities have been overwhelmingly supportive and enthusiastic about welcoming these new arrivals to their cities and towns, some elected officials have attempted to build metaphorical walls around their localities with unlawful executive orders,” Adams said. “This lawsuit aims to put an end to this xenophobic bigotry and ensure our state acts as one as we work together to manage this humanitarian crisis fairly and humanely, as we have done from the beginning, and as we will continue to do.”

Many of the migrants transported to the area have no connections or resources in the region, leaving the city to provide temporary shelter, food and other services. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has recognized the influx of migrants as a statewide emergency.

In addition to seeking help from other cities and towns, Adams has also called on the federal government to provide more assistance to locations seeing large numbers of migrants, as well as speeding up the process of work authorizations for asylum-seekers.