Local News for May 15, 2023

Schuyler, Tompkins Officials Take Different Approaches to Migrant Surge

County officials outside New York City are responding to the end of Title 42 by declaring states of emergency to stop asylum seekers from coming upstate. Title 42 is the name of a federal emergency health order. It allowed U.S. officials to prevent migrants and asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border from entering the country. It expired last Thursday.

Schuyler County is one of the latest to declare a state of emergency. On Thursday the county legislature’s chair Carl Blowers issued a declaration banning municipal programs, hotels, motels or short-term rentals from housing undocumented migrants or asylum seekers. The declaration is in response to New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ bussing asylum seekers to upstate counties. Blowers says Schuyler doesn’t have the services to help large numbers of people who might stay indefinitely. 

Earlier last week, Governor Hochul declared a state of emergency to make it easier for municipalities to get state funds to support migrants. 

Violators of the order could face fines up to $2,000 a day per person WSKG Public Radio and WBNG TV report that Broome, Tioga, Orange, Rockland, Oneida, Rensselaer, and Chemung counties have issued similar orders. Tompkins County has not. The Legislature’s chair, Shana Black tells WRFI the county is not considering a ban on accepting asylum seekers at this time.