Officials say most of the asylum-seekers bused to Albany from New York City over the last week have found employment.
Albany County Executive Dan McCoy says a dialogue has begun with New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a fellow Democrat, concerning the migrants the city is sending north. McCoy had threatened a lawsuit against New York City, but now says progress has been made.
Earlier in the week Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan spoke with WAMC.
"The very first thing that two of the asylum seekers asked me was, 'Can we work? We really want to work,'" said Sheehan.
Thursday afternoon McCoy issued a statement, “We have learned through our communications with New York City and their vendor, DocGo, that approximately 90% of asylum seekers in Albany County are employed in less than a week.”
"It's DocGo," McCoy said. "They're the ones running all this for the mayor's office, Mayor Adams, you know, and again, they're paying the independent contractor to do A to Z. And right now, they're the ones that were deciding, you know, I want to say I had the feeling that, maybe this was just me that Mayor Adams really didn't know that they, you know, they they go here. We have to relieve this pressure. And this company just went out across the state and just started sending people and I don't really think the mayor had any idea."
DocGo responded to a request for comment regarding who employed the migrants and how the hiring was accomplished so rapidly by email that says in part "DocGo has a long-standing relationship with New York City to support a number of high priority public health programs and provide both mobile health and medical transportation services. DocGo's social workers and on-site caseworkers connect asylees with local resources and Community Based Organizations that assist asylees with job placement, skills training and ESL courses. DocGo does not hire or directly place any asylees."
Columbia County Sanctuary Movement Co-Executive Director Ivy Hest expressed concern for the migrants' welfare and safety.
"What we've heard on the ground is not that 90% of people have found work," said Hest. "If they have it's been in an informal labor market. We're concerned that if that these folks don't have work authorization, so we are concerned that they not be exploited or treated poorly, just because they don't have work authorization."
Mayor Sheehan's Chief of Staff David Galin emailed a statement in response to a request for comment, which says in part:
"These are individuals who came to the United States seeking freedom, opportunity, and a job to support themselves and their families. Mayor Sheehan continues to call on the federal government to reduce the period of time an asylum seeker must wait to receive work authorization from 180 days to 30 days, and we are encouraged by the advocacy of Senate Majority Leader Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, Congressman Tonko, and Governor Hochul to do just that."
McCoy told WAMC the process had begun to expedite the asylum-seekers' access to apply for jobs in Albany County and some migrants may already have spent enough time in the U.S. to qualify to work.
"Well, I mean, you know, it's the 180 days, some are there, I think, I'm not sure," McCoy said. "You know, we're trying to confirm this, you know, but we're, it's our understanding the ones that are in Colonie, you know, already have jobs lined up, you know, but we got to confirm that we are told that during the meeting, and they must be able to work. So we're just trying to, you know, again, there's a lot of moving mechanisms. And, you know, sometimes the information has been bad, because everyone has a different story to tell."
Presently there are approximately 175 migrants in three hotels in Albany County. Hest says additional busloads are expected.
"Folks on the ground are mobilizing themselves," Hest said. "The asylum seekers, we've had a couple of folks ask if they can help out welcoming other buses that are coming of asylum seekers. They've been organizing informal networks to support the queer community among them, the Sama community of them, so they're really coming together to build something and to build a home together."
Hest adds her group is soliciting clothing donations and funds to help support migrants' needs, things like getting eyeglasses and medication.
