Orange and Rockland counties can’t enforce their month-old executive orders aimed at barring asylum seekers in New York City from relocating to the suburban communities, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.
U.S. District Court Judge Nelson Roman issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the counties from enforcing their local bans targeting migrants.
The ruling cited numerous discriminatory comments by the county executives in both communities in finding the roadblocks in place there were motivated by impermissible bias.
The narrow order doesn’t apply to proceedings in state court that also challenge Mayor Eric Adams’ plans to send hundreds of migrants north, meaning the city administration’s bid to ease pressure on its overburdened shelter system still could be upended.
Nonetheless, the New York Civil Liberties Union, which challenged the Orange and Rockland orders on constitutional grounds, hailed the judge’s ruling as a victory.
“Today’s decision sends a loud and clear message not only to Rockland and Orange Counties, but to all of the counties who have issued these discriminatory executive orders: the Constitution does not allow you to build walls around your county limits,” Amy Belsher, director of Immigrants’ Rights Litigation at the NYCLU, said.
Rockland County Executive Ed Day, a Republican, said in a statement his administration is considering “all legal options including an appeal of the decision.” He also took aim at New York City and its Democratic mayor.
“These people are heading to New York City because it is a Sanctuary City and instead of living up to that declaration of Sanctuary, Mayor Eric Adams and the City is exporting them to neighboring municipalities across the State of New York including Rockland County,” Day said.
Orange County officials were not immediately available for comment.
References to ‘these people’
Last month, Rockland County declared a state of emergency in response to New York City’s “program to rapidly…
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