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NYCLU files lawsuit over county orders to block migrant housing

May 12, 2023 12:55 am

Nick Reisman reports for New York State of Politics that the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit May 11 over emergency orders in Rockland and Orange counties meant to block migrants from being housed in hotels there. Amy Belsher, the group's director of Immigration Rights' Litigation, said, “Orange and Rockland County’s Emergency Orders egregiously violate migrants’ rights.... Migrants have every right to travel and reside anywhere in New York, free of xenophobic harassment and discrimination. People are not political pawns – both counties should welcome migrants into their communities, not unlawfully bar them from seeking refuge.” Beth Cefalu, a spokesperson for Rockland County, said, “We normally don’t comment on pending litigation however we feel strongly that what we are doing is right and legal as witnessed by the court’s Temporary Restraining Order granted Thursday." Rockland County won a temporary injunction to prevent the housing of migrants at a hotel on May 11. Gov. Kathy Hochul on May 10 said that her office was reviewing the constitutionality of the counties' orders. Read more about this story at New York State of Politics.