BUFFALO, N.Y. — Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz told reporters on Wednesday that the earliest New York State could send migrants to Erie County is in one week.
He also said that New York City could potentially move people seeking asylum to Erie County sooner.
"It's just not going to be buses showing up in the night. It's not going to be," Poloncarz said.
While the Erie County Executive doesn't know exactly when it will happen, he does expect it to happen.
"The one thing that has been assured me is this would be paid for by New York State, if it's New York State, and New York City would pay for the cost associated with lodging, food, and other supportive services," Poloncarz said.
Poloncarz confirmed on Wednesday that the state is considering housing asylum seekers at Buffalo State University or the University at Buffalo, saying Buffalo State is the better option because there are dorms there that won't be used in the fall.
"There is the issue of New York City if they do bring a couple bus loads up here, we've got plenty of ample hotel space to handle that, and there are hoteliers that want these people. They want these asylum seekers," Poloncarz said.
He says anyone moving to Erie County would have already turned themselves in to federal authorities at the southern border requesting asylum. Poloncarz emphasized that they go through a criminal background check for the country they called home and any country they passed through.
"There will be no one, if they're moved to our community, that has a criminal background. They would not have even made it to New York City," Poloncarz said.
2 On Your Side asked him about the logistics.
"There are a lot of planning steps that go into place before people would even arrive, right?" 2 On Your Side's Kelly Dudzik asked.
"Yes, that's one of the reasons why nobody's showed up here at this point is because they have to have a plan in place. Not just here's where we're housing them," Poloncarz said.
"If you're moving people into Buffalo, it's late May, that's great. What happens if they come from the border without anything and now they're here in September, in October, and it starts getting colder out? They need to have different clothes. So, yes, the planning is going on as I speak."
He did say that he spoke with the New York State Department of Homeland Security Emergency Services Commissioner on Wednesday who told him no final decision has been made yet by New York State to send asylum seekers here.