Dutchess declares emergency, sues NYC

Acting Dutchess County Executive William F.X. O’Neil on May 22 again blasted New York City for not communicating with the county about plans to send immigrants and asylum seekers to hotels in Dutchess. He complained that the city won’t even tell Dutchess officials the exact number of immigrants they’ve already placed in the county. The latest flare-up comes as Dutchess filed suit to try to block the administration of Mayor Eric Adams from sending more immigrants to Dutchess.

Two busses, each carrying about 40 immigrants from New York City, arrived at the Red Roof Plus+ on South Road in Poughkeepsie on May 21. They were among the tens of thousands of migrants who had been sent to New York City by officials in border states who took the position that since New York City has declared itself to be a sanctuary city, it should be happy to welcome the immigrants and asylum seekers.

On May 18, O’Neil had declared a State of Emergency in Dutchess and issued two emergency orders designed to classify the relocation of immigrants from New York City as posing a threat to public safety. O’Neil also blocked local hotels and other facilities capable of temporarily housing people from expanding to accommodate migrants.

“These measures will, to the best of the county”™s ability, preserve our rights and safeguard the well-being of our residents and our community by enforcing various established codes and regulations ”“ a pre-emptive step necessitated by the haphazard efforts of New York City to randomly disperse individuals throughout New York state,” O’Neil said.

O’Neil said that the county and its residents do empathize with the plight of the migrants but he characterized the Adams Administration’s sending them to suburban counties as being inhumane.

“Dutchess County is already grappling with housing challenges for our residents, and our county does not have the resources to adequately address the myriad needs these individuals will undoubtedly require during their stay,” O’Neil said. “For New York City to simply dump these vulnerable souls into a community that cannot provide for their needs is unconscionable and a further example of Mayor Adams”™ failure to create and communicate a well-thought-out plan with Hudson Valley counties.”

The emergency documents contain information indicating that Dutchess officials including O’Neil were not totally in the dark about the impending arrival of immigrants, even though they may not have been told the whole story by New York City officials.

According to the emergency paperwork, on May 11, Mayor Adams and other New York City officials advised Dutchess and other counties that the city currently was housing in excess of 39,000 migrants, was using 130 hotels as emergency shelters, had opened eight humanitarian relief shelters, and was opening “tents” for shelters in order to accommodate more migrants and asylum seekers.

One of the documents signed by O’Neil stated that at 6:51 p.m. on May 17, Christopher Ellis, director of state legislative affairs in Mayor Adams’ office, e-mailed O’Neil advising him that a busload of individuals was expected to arrive in Poughkeepsie on or about 4:00 p.m. on May 18 at the Dutchess County Red Roof Plus+, located at 2349 South Road. O’Neil was told there potentially would be 44 persons arriving. O’Neil added that information was received from the owner of the hotel that it lacked vacancies to accommodate 44 individuals on May 18 but that he was in negotiation with New York City for the immigrants to arrive on Sunday May 21, which the 44 and a number of others did.

The Declaration of Emergency explained that New York City was only arranging right now for the immigrants to be housed for four months.

Dutchess County took the position that there is no reason to believe that the immigrants and asylum seekers would leave Dutchess after the four month period that New York City was arranging. The county expressed concern that it would become legally required to provide the housing, food, health care, social workers, education and other services that the migrants require.