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Rockland officials stood firm against plans New York City has to bring hundreds of migrants to the county that they cannot care for for themselves, despite being a sanctuary city. At a press conference yesterday at the county offices in New City, Rockland County Executive Ed Day said New York City Mayor Eric Adams never discussed the plans with anyone in Rockland, he just had representatives inform them it was going to happen…

In a typical year, Rockland assists 70 homeless people. The city is trying to hand over nearly five times that number in a single day. Department of Social Services Commissioner Joan Silvestri said our current system isn’t equipped to support such large numbers all at once…

The Armoni Inn and Suites in Orangeburg has reportedly been prepped for the migrants’ arrival. Orangetown supervisor Teresa Kenny said the town and the county are prepared to take legal action against the city to defend local zoning codes, and city officials including Mayor Adams himself, have been less than forthcoming about their plans…

Rockland Congressman Mike Lawler of the 17th District said despite getting a billion dollars from the state, Mayor Adams has failed to handle the migrant crisis on his own…

Members of Rockland’s non-profit community were on hand to explain how they would be affected by the crisis. Renold Julien is the Executive Director of the Haitian-American non-profit organization, Konbit Neg Lakay in Spring Valley, and he said as much as they’d like to help, there is a limit to how much they can do…

And that was the Executive Director of Catholic Charities Community Services of Rockland, Dan Eudene. Meanwhile the State of Emergency prohibits any hotel or motel to house migrants without a license from the County. Rockland County Attorney Thomas Humbach said it also prohibits municipalities from housing anyone in Rockland without a contract with the County…

Violations cost $2,000 per migrant per day. The State of Emergency will run for 30 days, after which it can be extended. Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus also declared a state of emergency last night, as the city is also looking to bring some migrants to the Town of Newburgh.

A State of Emergency has been declared for Rockland County after New York City announced their intention to send 340 adult males to a hotel in Orangeburg for four months. The Armoni Inn and Suites has reportedly been prepped for their arrival. Rockland County Executive Ed Day says he told Mayor Eric Adams that Rockland would not allow this plan to move forward and has enacted this State of Emergency in direct response…

The State of Emergency prevents other municipalities from bringing and housing people in Rockland County. It also keeps hotels from housing immigrants without a license. It went into effect Saturday and will run for 30 days, after which it can be extended. Rockland already has been experiencing a strain on area schools, food pantries, housing, and social services as an increasing number of undocumented individuals have been resettling in the county. Day says while city officials have claimed they would provide short-term funding and services to the men, no realistic plans have been shared as to who would house, feed, and support them in the long-term. Department of Social Services Commissioner Joan Silvestri says our current system isn’t equipped to support such large numbers of undocumented individuals. News 12 reported the Crossroads Hotel in Newburgh is also expecting at least 60 men to arrive on Wednesday.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day and Rockland County Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Joan Silvestri are calling on New York City Mayor Eric Adams to not move forward with a plan to bus migrants to Rockland and house them at a hotel in Orangetown. Day says the county is already seeing a strain to local schools, food pantries, housing, and social services due to an increased number of undocumented individuals resettling in Rockland. “This is absurd, and we will not stand for it,” Day said in a statement. “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. It’s the same as throwing them in the middle of the ocean with nowhere to swim.” The City of New York plans to house about 340 adult males in Armoni Inn and Suites in Orangeburg for four months with plans to secure them work permits to integrate into the community. “Social Services funding is not applicable to undocumented individuals so we have no financial support to help those without a legal status and even if we did this County has a well-known housing crisis that includes both a lack of housing and lack of affordable housing that this will only compound further. Our current system is not built to support asylum seekers and work permits do not guarantee work or integration,” Silvestri added.  

Spring Valley’s former chief building inspector, the former Clarkstown Superintendent of Highways, has filed legal notice to sue Rockland’s District Attorney and others in New York State Supreme Court. That’s according to The Journal News. Wayne Ballard had charges against him for filing a false report with the state in relation to the fatal Spring Valley Adult Home fire, dismissed during his trial in February. Ballard reportedly filed the notice of claim with the Rockland County Clerk’s Office earlier this week to sue Rockland D-A Tom Walsh, his prosecutors and a detective, Spring Valley police, and the county government. Ballard is claiming false arrest, malicious prosecution, prosecutorial misconduct, police misconduct, and civil rights violations. Walsh didn’t comment. The Evergreen fire two years ago killed a resident and volunteer firefighter, 35 year-old Jared Lloyd.

A Mahwah woman was arrested yesterday and charged in connection with a fatal accident in Airmont last January. Ramapo Police say 41-year-old Sherlyne Bazile faces Manslaughter, Reckless Driving and other charges for the incident that claimed the life of an 85 year-old Montebello man. Police say the crash occurred on January 28th around 10am at the intersection of Airmont Road and Route 59. Three cars were involved in the crash, with each driver needing medical attention at area hospitals. Police say neither alcohol nor drugs were suspected in the crash. Bazile was arraigned and released without bail, she is scheduled to be in Airmont Justice Court at an unknown date.