By Robert McGreevy
Orange County has filed lawsuits to prevent illegal migrants from being bused from the New York city to suburban New York towns.
Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus filed a lawsuit Friday against two Newburgh hotels, the Crossroads Hotel and the Ramada by Wyndham, for violating his executive order banning hotels from accepting migrants or asylum seekers. Neuhaus issued the executive order, which declared a State of Emergency for the county, after discovering New York City Mayor Eric Adams planned to bus hundreds of migrants to Newburgh and other cities after promising he wouldn’t, Neuhaus said in a Facebook video.
“Last night we were notified by the state of New York that the city of New York was now going to pause, and not bring any buses of any undocumented individuals to Orange County. Unfortunately we found out that wasn’t the truth this morning,” Neuhaus said in the May 11 video posted to his Facebook. He continued, noting that “about 15 minutes or so before the buses arrived, we got notification, not from the city of New York by the way… but by people that along the way saw NYPD escorted buses.”
Adams also sent a group of migrants to Rockland County, where a State Supreme Court Judge issued a temporary restraining order barring The Armoni Inn from accepting new migrants. Both Rockland and Orange County have filed for state of emergency orders, according to Neuhaus. He says the city is “randomly booking hotel rooms where they can get bulk rooms for at least 30 days with the option to go longer.”
As a result of the expiration of Title 42 protections, Mayor Adams and New York City expect upwards of 10,000 migrants in the coming days, according to Neuhaus. “The mayor’s intention was to spread that throughout the state. Unfortunately Orange County was the first case, but we’re not gonna be the last,” he claimed. “We are going to start galvanizing and organizing to push back.” (RELATED: ‘I’m Dreading Going Into Work’: Border Agents Express Worry Ahead Of Title 42’s End)
Neuhaus expressed frustration over the government’s lack of transparency. “It’s a complete mess and the government has not been forthright and honest with us. Now they’re talking about some males coming in… forced to wear an ankle bracket so we know where they are.”
He noted the complete lack of information provided to the county about the incoming migrants. “We don’t know anything about these individuals that are here. Where they’re from, what’s their status, are they gonna get working papers?” He continued “This is not the way to do things. It’s not the way to treat people.”
Neuhaus described a phone call with Adams in which he questioned why New York, a sanctuary city, is busing migrants to Orange County, which claims no sanctuary status. He accused Adams of “passing the buck” when the Mayor claimed it wasn’t him, but in fact his predecessor who invoked sanctuary status.
The county’s representative in Congress, Democrat Pat Ryan, along with Republican Representative Mike Lawler, called for a Federal State of Emergency in New York in response the crisis.
Today, alongside @RepMikeLawler, I am calling for a federal State of Emergency in New York, which would allow the federal government to provide the resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the migrant surge.
— Rep. Pat Ryan (@RepPatRyanNY) May 11, 2023
The New York Civil Liberties Union has filed lawsuits against both Rockland and Orange Counties for their executive orders barring hotels from accepting new migrants, according to Neuhaus.
