Yates County is joining the growing list of New York counties in declaring a local state of emergency from what it calls the anticipated imminent and uncoordinated delivery to the county by New York City of large numbers of illegal immigrants and asylum seekers.
In the Emergency Order signed on Monday by Legislature Chairperson Leslie Church, it reads the chief executive officer of the county may promulgate local emergency orders to protect life and property or to bring the emergency under control. Church cites the unsustainable demands that would be put upon Yates County and other municipalities in the county for services that an influx of a large number of asylum seekers would have.
The Executive Order prohibits municipal programs from housing illegal migrants and asylum seekers. It also prohibits any hotel, short-term rental, and motel in the county from entering into a contract to house them or risk daily fines of $2,000 per asylum seeker, per-day. The Emergency Order is in effect for 30 days and can be revoked, or extended for additional periods.
Schuyler County issued its first State of Emergency on May 11th and a five-day extension was signed on May 16th.
