2 HV Congressmen Ask Feds To Declare Emergency Over Migrants

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Two Hudson Valley congressmen are calling on the federal government to declare a state of emergency for New York in response to the migrant crisis.

Rep. Pat Ryan, D-Gardiner, and Rep. Mike Lawler, R-Pearl River, said Thursday that a state of emergency for New York would authorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate efforts and would allow the federal government to provide resources.

Ryan said the current migrant situation in New York in untenable.

“From New York City, where they have more than 60,000 asylym-seekers, to the Hudson Valley communities who were given no notice and no assistance to house asylum-seekers, to the migrants themselves, simply here in search of a better life, this process has been a mess,” he said.

“The federal government must step in and declare a state of emergency for New York,” Ryan said.

Doing so would all the federal government to identify, mobilize and provide the resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the migrant surge in New York.

Lawler said, with pandemic-related U.S. asylum restrictions, known as Title 42, having expired, the country is seeing a surge of migrants approaching the border that will add to a crisis that has seen New York City taken in more than 60,000 migrants so far.

“Now, Mayor Eric Adams has chosen to begin busing additional arrivals into the Hudson Valley,” he said. “This is a completely untenable situation and demands immediate federal action.”

Lawler said his requests for additional support have been ignored for months by the Biden administration and FEMA.

“Now, it is imperative they act,” he said.

On Thursday, just hours after making a video that said he was assured by state and NYC officials that asylum-seekers would not be bused to Orange County in the near future, Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said two buses filled with 20 to 30 men arrived at the Crossroads Hotel in the town of Newburgh.

“Sadly, we have learned that you cannot trust the word of New York City’s mayor and the leadership of New York,” Neuhaus said.

Rockland County officials have begun using legal and regulatory efforts to keep NYC from housing any asylum-seekers in the county.

A Rockland Supreme Court judge issued a temporary restraining order Tuesday at the request of the town of Orangetown supervisor. Also Rockland County filed for a restraining order against New York City Tuesday.