EXCLUSIVE – Some New York counties are dueling with multiple crises as say they are ill-equipped to welcome asylum seekers while already struggling to house the homeless.
New York City has begun to bus some migrants to the suburbs as officials struggle to house tens of thousands of asylum seekers following the expiration of the pandemic-era asylum restrictions under Title 42. Most recently, Mayor Eric Adams caught backlash for suggesting housing migrants in private residences in the Big Apple.
For Ontario County in western New York, the influx of migrants has the potential to exacerbate an already growing housing crisis, county administrator Chris DeBolt told Fox News Digital.
“On any one given night, we average around 175 homeless individuals that we’re trying to place through the Department of Social Services,” DeBolt told Fox News Digital. “And finding hotel rooms for temporary emergency placements for those individuals has proved increasingly difficult as of late. So we’ve kind of got the emergency housing component that we’re struggling with the current population. And then, in general, housing of all types is an issue across the county.”
In their draft resolution, DeBolt said they have also noted some aspects regarding the vaccination status of the asylum seekers, considering many are coming from Central and South American countries that do not abide by the same vaccine regimens. From there, they would need to come up with a plan to work with their local health department to make sure those individuals can receive vaccinations.
The administrator said that while there has been “no” communication with New York City on the matter, he is in regular talks with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office.
NYC MAYOR ADAMS ASKS TO SUSPEND ‘RIGHT TO SHELTER’ FOR MIGRANTS
Several New York counties, including Orleans, Genesee and Steuben counties, have issued state of emergency declarations, with many citing housing as a concern.
“My first responsibility is to protect Monroe County and create a reasonable infrastructure around what’s happening,” Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said of his emergency order, according to RochesterFirst.com. “So we created this emergency order that would essentially require any hotel, motel, that’s going to contract with other governments, whether that be other states, with other cities that are going to bring migrants that they have to submit a plan to Monroe County that’s approved to show how you’re going to take care of these people.”
“That is the humane approach; it’s a reasonable approach to how to handle this situation, and I think it protects both Monroe County and our residents and also protects those who are seeking asylum in the United States,” he added.
“Prior to the influx of migrants coming to NYC, the city was already in the midst of a homeless crisis,” Dabbas told Fox News Digital. “Adding all of the migrants to the equation is only compounding the problem which the city is not equipped to handle. The city has already lost millions of dollars of tax revenue and that will only continue with the drastic decline of commercial real estate values and subsequently property tax revenue over the next several years.”
Legal expert Steve Toland remarked on the expected legal challenges that will arise from the migrant crisis.
“Many neighboring counties have declared a state of emergency, and in so doing, refused to receive relocated migrants,” he told Fox News Digital. “Other counties have voluntarily received migrants and, along with several hotels, have filed suit against counties who refuse to share in the receipt and relocation of asylum-seeking migrants. As the problem grows, this type of legal issue will become more common. The key constitutional question becomes whether an executive order from a gubernatorial authority can override the local counties who declared states of emergency.”
“In most areas, we’re not even asking localities to help manage 1/4 of 1% of the asylum seekers that have arrived in New York City, and again with New York covering the costs. Many elected officials, community groups, and faith institutions have been overwhelmingly supportive and enthusiastic about welcoming these new New Yorkers to their cities and towns. We are grateful for their support and that of the many elected officials who know that new immigrants have been and will continue to grow local economies and enrich local communities. We will continue to communicate with local elected officials as we open move to other localities.”
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The Ontario County Board of Supervisors failed to pass a resolution expressing concerns over the number of potential asylum-seekers last Thursday and are expected to revisit talks in a few weeks.