CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — Channel 2 News has learned that a group of asylum seekers from New York City will at some point this week arrive here in Western New York.
We got more details on this anticipated cross-state move of migrants which has been a subject of controversy around the state.
Scenes from New York City with the arrival of asylum seekers from the southern border will soon be repeated here in Erie County at a hotel in Cheektowaga located near the airport.
New York City officials put Erie County's Executive and the town on notice Tuesday about their arrival and a spokesman for the New York City Mayor's Office has confirmed that could be sometime on Thursday.
The message, seen by this reporter, says 60 individuals will be in 30 double-booked rooms at the selected hotel and that the Erie County executive, county department of social services, and the Jericho Road Community Health Center which operates the Vive Shelter have also been notified and are ready to assist.
Erie County confirmed that notification requesting that contracts be confirmed with resettlement agencies like Jericho Road and Jewish Family Services.
Cheektowaga Town Supervisor Diane Benczcowski just referred us back to the Erie County Executive's office.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz has gone on record saying he welcomed the arrival of such asylum seekers. And it appears those New York City officials and the state are taking him up on that suggestion.
The message says more updates will be sent as to the demographics - sex, number, and languages spoken. And a New York City official says further that arrivals will quote "continue until we exhaust the contracted spaces" - as in paid for hotel rooms.
Previously it has been reported that New York City will cover all associated costs for such individuals in line with a $1 Billion dollar allotment in the state budget which is of course state taxpayer supported.
Last week we spoke with Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz on that point. We asked, "Are you confident the funding that New York City and the state would make sure that Erie County would not have to carry the load for this ?"
"All the conversations we've had have indicated New York City would pay for the lodging, the food, the supportive services. They would be working with third parties. It would not be working with the county. That's the thing. I want people to understand - they're not like saying we're gonna make the county do it. They'd be working with third parties like the local refugee resettlement agencies which the county deals with every day anyway. So if they come here, they'd be contracting with those third parties and paying them directly so there would be no costs to the county," Poloncarz says.
"Every day we have legal immigration going on in our community. Asylum seekers, refugees, and hundreds usually on a daily basis which we assimilate into the community or they move on. The federal government needs to come up and step up to the plate to deal with the migrant issue. They have not. Unfortunately, they are leaving it to the states and the local governments to do it. "
You may recall New York City actually sued other counties in Western New York which sought to deter such migrant arrivals with emergency orders that restricted hotels or bus lines or other businesses from accepting those New York City contracts for the asylum seekers.
The other officials in those counties told us they were still concerned about costs and background verification for those individuals who might arrive in their communities.
Wyoming County officials just extended their emergency order on Wednesday.
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