Press Releases

Binghamton, NY – U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro (NY-19) today called out Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams for carrying out an inhumane and illegal scheme to relocate migrants to hotels in Upstate New York.

This week, Mayor Adams began relocating migrants to hotels in Upstate New York. To assist, Governor Hochul declared a State of Emergency. Under New York State law, Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul’s scheme is illegal because there must be licensing and permitting by county and state authorities for hotels to become shelters. County leaders have also complained that New York State and New York City have not provided them with proper resources or notice to compassionately care for this new population.

In a letter to Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams, Rep. Molinaro urged them to immediately stop this illegal and inhumane scheme.

Rep. Molinaro said, “Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams actions are inhumane and illegal. Hotels are not shelters. Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams should be putting pressure on President Biden to implement commonsense and compassionate border security and immigration reforms. Instead, they are relocating hundreds of migrants to Upstate New York counties without proper funding, coordination, or approval from local communities.”

The full text of the letter can be found below:

Dear Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams,

The recent reports this week of New York City transporting hundreds of migrants to Rockland and Orange Counties is beyond belief. While New York City chose to be a sanctuary city, it does not mean New York City has the right or the authority to send migrants to other counties in the state without the proper funding, coordination, and approval from those counties. As a former county executive, I know firsthand the incredibly difficult financial position counties are put in to run an efficient and compassionate government; but drop hundreds of homeless migrants into a suburban or rural county without the proper resources, or approvals, and you’re asking for a financial and logistical disaster.

We must approach issues of such importance with compassion and fairness. We also should be enacting policies that treat all humans with humanity and understanding. Transporting migrants to unknown cities that do not have the proper resources to care for such populations without notice is neither compassionate nor humane to those who live in these communities Upstate and to those who are here illegally.

Let me further state that the reports of New York City placing migrants in hotels Upstate is not only troubling, but illegal. Hotels are not shelters, and in order for them to be, there must be licensing, permitting, and approval under state law and county regulation. Absent that, New York City has no authority to put migrants there and hotels have no right to accept them.

Governor Hochul, you are obligated to intervene in this matter. Counties do not have the resources for this nor does New York City have the right to do this under state law, county regulation, and local home rule. For these reasons and more, New York City should cease this activity and New York State should take appropriate actions.