New York City is sueing 30 counties - in the same state - for issuing emergency executive orders preventing the city from sending illegal immigrants to their jurisdictions. This was announced by Mayor Eric Adams:
This lawsuit is intended to put an end to this xenophobic bigotry and ensure that our state acts as one as we work together to handle this humanitarian crisis in a just and humane manner, as we have done from the beginning and as we will continue to do. New York City seeks to invalidate unlawful executive orders that seek to prohibit the city from providing temporary housing to a small number of asylum seekers during the state emergency.
The official announcement alleged that such orders are "illegal." In addition, the counties were accused of wanting to "wall their borders" and of not contributing to the overall healing of the migration crisis:
Defendants have attempted to wall off their borders. They have attempted, by multiple methods, to prevent the City of New York from arranging for even a small number of asylum seekers to stay in private hotels within their jurisdictions - at the City's expense - in the midst of a severe humanitarian crisis - at the City Council's expense - in the midst of a severe humanitarian crisis.
Counties claim their public safety is at risk
The executive orders issued by the counties claim that their public safety would be at risk if they allowed immigrants to stay in private hotels in their territories. Adams stated that NYC has "repeatedly sounded the alarm" because their system for housing illegal immigrants is collapsing so they need help from nearby areas:
Since this crisis began, New York City, virtually on its own, has struggled to provide shelter, food, clothing and other services to asylum seekers arriving in our city. We are doing our part and will continue to do our part, but we need all the localities in the state to do their part as well. While many communities have been very supportive and enthusiastic in welcoming these newcomers to their cities and towns, some elected officials have attempted to build metaphorical walls around their localities with illegal executive orders.
The lawsuit was filed after a New York judge temporarily blocked Adams' shipments of illegal aliens to Orange County, which was the second county to issue a executive order which prohibited the transfer and accommodation of immigrants with a request for hotel accommodation within its borders.
