New York City sued over 30 counties across the state for issuing emergency executive orders that prohibit local hotels from hosting migrants bussed in by Democratic Mayor Eric Adams, the city announced Wednesday.
NYC’s lawsuit asks the court to declare all executive orders “null and void,” alleging they are based on “specious claims that the prospect of a few hundred asylum seekers sheltered at [NYC’s] expense would somehow constitute an emergency imperiling public safety.” Adams announced plans to house migrants arriving in the city, many sent by Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, at hotels located in other counties in May.
In response to Adams’ plan, counties issued emergency executive orders barring hotels from hosting migrants. Over 74,000 migrants have arrived in NYC as of June 4, according to the city.
“Respondents’ [executive orders] burden and obstruct New York City’s lawful and reasonable efforts to address the ongoing statewide humanitarian crisis in a manner that is explicitly permitted by law and required by this statewide emergency,” the lawsuit alleges. (RELATED: Obama-Appointed Judge Blocks New York Counties’ Orders Banning Hotels From Housing Migrants)
An Obama-appointed federal judge ruled Tuesday that executive orders issued by Orange County and Rockland County, the first two jurisdictions to pass orders, illegally discriminate based on national origin.
Eric Adams thinks normal citizens should be housing migrants https://t.co/TTd4SKNngV
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 6, 2023
“These people are heading to New York City because it is a Sanctuary City and instead of living up to that declaration of Sanctuary, Mayor Eric Adams and the City is exporting them to neighboring municipalities across the State of New York including Rockland County,” Rockland County Executive Ed Day said in a statement responding to the decision.
In May, a state Supreme Court judge granted a restraining order against New York City, preventing it from sending additional migrants to Orange County after over 180 had already arrived, according to Spectrum News.
Adams said in a statement Wednesday that New York City has “virtually on its own” provided for the needs of migrants arriving in the city and has “repeatedly sounded the alarm that [its] shelter system is at capacity.”
“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,” Adams said.
Rockland County Executive Ed Day said in a statement his county’s services have “already been strained to the breaking point through the natural and organic migration of individuals to our county.”
“This new lawsuit does nothing to address the legitimate concerns of my administration and residents of our county,” Day said. “I feel sorry for the New York taxpayers who will be stuck paying the bill for the Mayor’s botched plan and this frivolous lawsuit.”
Orange County Spokesperson Justin Rodriguez told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the lawsuit “lacks merit,” adding that NYC’s “boldfaced actions of sending individuals from the City to Orange County” is the real problem.
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