How Rockland judges made it nearly impossible for county to house asylum seekers

Asher Stockler, New York State Team
·2 min read
468

Two Rockland County judges recently made it more difficult for New York City to temporarily house asylum seekers at hotels in the county − or at any other Rockland location used as a shelter.

The town of Orangetown argued in a May lawsuit against New York City that placement of migrants at the Armoni Hotel & Suites violated the town's zoning laws.

In response, state Supreme Court Justice Christie D'Alessio ruled Monday that Orangetown's argument would likely prevail, and granted a preliminary injunction that prohibits the Armoni from housing non-transient guests.

The injunction could be renewed, modified or abandoned at the conclusion of the case.

Families of asylum seekers are led into the Ramada hotel in Yonkers May 15, 2023. The families were being housed in New York City.
Families of asylum seekers are led into the Ramada hotel in Yonkers May 15, 2023. The families were being housed in New York City.

Separately, another Rockland judge dramatically expanded the scope of a previous order blocking New York City from relocating migrants to the Armoni.

State Supreme Court Justice Thomas Zugibe's new order, which came in last week, temporarily prevents the city from transporting any resident of a temporary shelter, including homeless residents, to any Rockland location used as a shelter in violation of state law.

This could increase the number of individuals impacted by the order from hundreds to tens of thousands.

More: Treacherous jungles, bribes: What asylum seekers endured before arriving at NY hotels

More: 'Racially-charged': Rockland, Orange execs discriminated against migrants, fed judge rules

More: How NYC vs. Rockland immigrant standoff upended residents staying at Orangeburg hotel

Battle over asylum seekers in NY drags on

The fight over migrants' ability to seek shelter in the New York City suburbs while they pursue asylum claims has reached a fever pitch. Residents and politicians have vocally opposed their relocation, stirring up opposition and anti-immigrant sentiment.

A federal judge recently ruled that emergency orders from Rockland and Orange counties prohibiting asylum seekers from relocating were motivated by prejudice.

Jorge, 43, and Renny, 22, both from Venezuela, are two of the dozens of asylum seekers that were brought from New York City to the Crossroads Hotel in Newburgh. Both men, photographed outside the hotel May 31, 2023, said that they had to flee their home country because of danger faced by themselves and their families had they stayed. Jorge left a wife and two daughters behind.

Asylum seekers have described to The Journal News/lohud the harrowing process of navigating their way from far-flung countries to the southern border. Memories of the treacherous journeys linger as they begin to explore their new lives in the U.S.

One asylum seeker named Jorge recalled that the trip is "very, very hard, very traumatizing.”

Asher Stockler is a reporter for The Journal News and the USA Today Network New York. You can find him on Twitter at @quasiasher or send him an email at astockler@lohud.com. Reach him securely: asher.stockler@protonmail.com.

This article originally appeared on New York State Team: NYC asylum seekers can't be sent to Rockland, judges rule