New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Tuesday ahead of an expected influx of migrants in the coming days, relaxing laws to make it easier for the state to quickly lease space and purchase supplies to house the new arrivals.
Hochul’s executive order comes two days before the expiration of the federal Title 42 order, a COVID-era policy that allows the U.S. government to turn away migrants at the border, including asylum-seekers.
The order also comes as elected officials in the city’s northern suburbs continue to raise concerns about Mayor Eric Adams’ plans to send migrants to hotels in the Hudson Valley, with the Rockland and Orange county executives issuing separate local emergency declarations in an attempt to block it from happening.
Hochul’s staff informed county officials from across the state of her statewide order on a Tuesday afternoon call.
“With Title 42 set to expire, the circumstances on the ground are expected to change significantly and this executive order will be an important part of our coordinated response,” Hochul said in a statement. “I have spoken to Mayor Adams and county executives throughout New York as we work to address this situation.”
Over 60,000 migrants have arrived in New York City since last spring, with more than 37,000 currently receiving city care, according to the mayor’s office.
That number is expected to increase following Thursday’s expiration of Title 42, which Hochul cited in her executive order.
Hochul’s directive orders the suspension of a handful of state laws governing contracts and purchasing rules in New York, which will allow the state to buy goods and lease buildings to tackle the migrant crisis without having to get the state comptroller’s approval or go through normal bidding procedures.
The order will also prevent hotels, hospitals and other facilities providing care for migrants from being considered their landlord, which means the state’s current tenant protections wouldn’t…
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