Saying Albany County is facing a housing crisis, County Executive Dan McCoy has issued a state of emergency and an emergency order relating to the resettlement of migrants.
Acting in coordination with Monroe County – home to Rochester – the Democrat says the orders do not prevent migrants from entering the counties, but provide an avenue to allow resources to be allocated toward solutions.
The state of emergency indicates the anticipated movement of migrants into Albany County would result in a severe housing crisis because of the limited number of temporary and permanent housing available.
One portion of the emergency order states that no municipality may make contracts involving the transportation of migrants to house them within the county without permission from the county executive. No hotel, motel or shelter can house migrants without a license issued by the county.
In a statement, Albany County Legislature Chair Andrew Joyce, a Democrat, expressed support for McCoy's move.
"I applaud Albany County Executive Dan McCoy and Monroe County Executive Adam Bello's efforts today to increase and improve intergovernmental coordination and communication to ensure our communities are prepared as migrant families continue their arduous journeys out of war, violence, and extreme poverty and make their way to places like Albany County," Joyce said. "We are elected to lead and find solutions. We make up the land of the free and the home of the brave. There is no bravery in fear-mongering and turning a blind eye to the struggles of our fellow human beings. The members of the Albany County Legislature stand ready to assist the County Executive and our departments to ensure we're ready to execute a well-coordinated plan to help those in need."
The legislature's minority leader, Republican Frank Mauriello, also praised McCoy.
"I credit County Executive Dan McCoy for taking the necessary step to declare a state of emergency on the ongoing migrant crisis," Mauriello said. "From the start, the Biden administration has completely failed to control the flow of illegal immigration through our southern border, and it is the taxpayers paying the ultimate price for that failure. New York City has tried to shift this crisis to Upstate counties and state leaders have failed to lead, but ultimately a federal crisis requires a federal response. Taxpayers deserve nothing but full transparency on this issue. For the good of our nation, the federal government must end the crisis it created, and bring our borders back under controlled immigration."
Plans to move migrants from New York City to upstate areas have been met with widespread opposition.
Also on Tuesday, Warren County’s Board of Supervisors issued a state of emergency meant to preserve the county's ability to receive federal or state financial assistance should the migrant crisis have a financial impact on the county. It also requires that owners of hotels, campgrounds, short-term rentals or multiple-room dwellings receive permission from the Board of Supervisors before housing migrants. A county task force says it has met with a local non-profit that works with immigrants to discuss options for accommodating large numbers of asylum seekers.
