Rockland officials: Hundreds of migrants will be bused from NYC to Orangeburg hotel

Rockland County and Orangetown officials who News 12 spoke to have not been told an exact time or day from New York City when the men will arrive - just that it is "imminent."

Lee Danuff and Diane Caruso

May 5, 2023, 9:43 PM

Updated 593 days ago

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News 12 has learned from Rockland officials that hundreds of migrants will be bused to a hotel in the county from New York City.
A total of 340 men are being bused to the Armoni Inn and Suites in Orangeburg for four months to secure work permits so they can ultimately join the community.
The hotel is within Legislator James J. Foley's district.
"I can say our county really can't afford this," he said, and added that his phone has not stopped ringing from unhappy constituents.
"He wasn't calling to say, 'Are you good with this?' He was calling to say, 'Look, this is what we're doing, and your town has been identified," said Orangetown Supervisor Teresa Kenny about her first ever conversation with Mayor Eric Adams as she found out he planned to send the migrant men to the Orangeburg hotel.
Kenny was told these men will be paid for and covered by the city for all their needs.
"We're still at, for me anyway, is the fact gathering stage. So we don't have a tremendous amount of details," she added. Kenny was still working as of Friday on getting answers to a few other questions like these men’s backgrounds and when they would arrive - just that it is "imminent."
“Everyone just needs to relax. Let’s find out the facts. Let’s find out again what the long-term plan is. Let’s see, again, what the town may need to be prepared for. What we may need to have available. What the county’s going to have to do,” Kenny said.
A release from Adams’ office says other men will be sent to a hotel in Orange Lake.
Over in Orange County, County Executive Stephen Neuhaus learned that 60 migrant men will be staying at the Crossroads Hotel in Newburgh.
Rockland County Executive Ed Day is calling on Adams to not send them.
This comes after representatives from various levels of government held a news conference months ago regarding an increase in immigrants coming to the county and impacting county services and resources.
"There is nothing humanitarian about a Sanctuary City sending busloads of people to a county that does not have the infrastructure to care for them," Day said in a statement.
Adam said the city will send these men to free up space in city shelters as they see more immigrants using their resources.