migrants

Press Release:

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) and Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) today sent a letter to New York Governor Kathy Hochul raising serious concerns about her administration’s Migrant Relocation Assistance Program (MRAP) which seeks to move migrants from New York City to Upstate New York and Long Island Communities, including Erie and Monroe Counties.

​​“Instead of reversing these disastrous policies, your administration has chosen to export the crisis in New York City to Upstate communities, such as those in Erie County and Monroe County. Law-abiding New Yorkers should not have their safety placed in jeopardy because of radical policies allowing unvetted individuals to cross our borders at will. While many of these individuals are allowed to stay here as “asylum seekers,” the facts show that the overwhelming majority of asylum claims are found to be illegitimate when adjudicated,” the lawmakers wrote.

The lawmakers continued, “We continue to urge you to reverse the disastrous immigration policies that have been implemented by your administration and the New York State Legislature.”

Tenney and Langworthy demanded answers to the following questions from Governor Hochul by March 25:

• How many individuals have been relocated to Erie County or Monroe County under MRAP?
• How much have the relocations to Erie County and Monroe County cost taxpayers?
• How is your administration vetting the individuals selected to participate in MRAP? Is part of this vetting an evaluation of the legitimacy of their asylum claims or a criminal background check?
• How is your administration ensuring the safety of American citizens in Erie County, Monroe County, and the surrounding counties with the influx of these individuals with unproven asylum claims?
• How is your administration ensuring that these individuals show up to their court dates and do not evade the law?

Press Release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia), along with his Assembly Republican colleagues, is calling on Gov. Hochul to convene an extraordinary legislative session to address the migrant crisis across the state. Over 100,000 migrants have arrived in New York and communities and localities are struggling to keep up with this recent influx. Hawley believes a special session would help to implement much-needed reforms such as instituting background checks for incoming immigrants and giving municipalities the ability to choose whether they want to take in migrants.

“Right now, our state is experiencing one of the largest migrant crises in the country, with little support from the federal government,” said Hawley. “Migrants are being shipped upstate from the city and our communities are helpless to do anything. A special session is needed to provide relief for our state and hold our leaders accountable.”

Senator George Borrello sent Governor Kathy Hochul a letter of concern pertaining to her recent plans to move migrants to SUNY campuses. 

Press Release:

Dear Governor Hochul, 

In light of the news that upstate SUNY campuses are being considered as temporary migrant housing, I am writing to urge you to suspend this plan immediately out of concern for the strains on security and resources that such an influx would have on these campuses and the surrounding communities.

I am especially opposed to SUNY Fredonia being chosen as a migrant housing location. Our community does not have the resources that would be required to underwrite the costs of housing, feeding and meeting the many needs that immigrants will require. Our rural upstate social service network is already overburdened by the services required by our own community members.

New York City, a self-designated ‘sanctuary city’, does not have the right or the authority to send economic migrants to other counties in the state without the proper funding, coordination and approval of those counties. Additionally, these migrants have not been properly vetted by U.S. immigration authorities and pose a risk to public safety.

It is important for our state and federal governments to acknowledge their role in creating this crisis and take responsibility for this disastrous outcome.

New York’s immigration crisis is the result of its ‘sanctuary state’ status and policies like the 2020 Green Light Law granting non-citizen, undocumented migrants the ability to get a driver's license. New York’s Green Light law bars federal authorities from accessing New York’s motor vehicle database to enforce U.S. immigration policies and laws. The Green Light Law and its sanctuary status have made New York State the perfect place for undocumented immigrants to settle and avoid deportation.

At a time when New Yorkers face an affordability crisis, and we lead the nation in outmigration, the last thing we should do is add to the burden of hardworking taxpayers and business owners by handing them the bill for resettling migrants who came here illegally. 

My constituents do not support New York’s sanctuary status designation or policies and should not be punished by Washington’s unwillingness to protect our nation’s borders or bad policies adopted by Albany or New York City.

Thank you for your consideration. I would be happy to discuss this issue with you in more detail. 

Sincerely,
George M. Borrello
Senator, 57th District

In response to a possible plan by New York City Mayor Eric Adams to relocate undocumented migrants from New York City to Upstate New York, Genesee County has issued an emergency declaration banning the acceptance of immigrants from out of the county for at least five days.

The ban was effective at noon today, County Manager Matt Landers told The Batavian's Joanne Beck.

UPDATES coming.

UPDATE: State of Emergency to stop immigrants from landing on county's doorstep