Rockland County Supreme Court justice Thomas Zugibe on Thursday issued a temporary order preventing New York City Mayor Eric Adams from sending asylum seekers to the suburban county, reports LoHud.com
"The decision made here is not a political decision,” he said.
New York leaders have publicly sparred over Adams’ plan to move migrants from the city as the influx is soon expected to increase to as many as 5,000 a week.
New York City officials last week announced a plan to send about 300 asylum seekers to hotels in Rockland and Orange Counties. Local leaders quickly expressed outrage over the strategy and issued emergency declarations seeking to bar the city’s efforts.
"We are not equipped to humanely assist these individuals, which eventually we're going to have to do," Rockland County Executive Ed Day said at a news conference where he was joined by U.S. Rep Michael Lawler and other officials opposed to the plan.
The plan is "the same as throwing people out to the middle of the ocean who can't swim and saying, 'go to shore.' It can't work."
Lawler, a Republican whose Hudson Valley district includes Rockland County, said he was "vehemently opposed to this plan which would shift the cost for housing, food and health care for folks who may be here illegally onto Rockland County and our municipalities."
Asylum seekers have been showing up at the border in huge numbers in anticipation of this week’s end of the use of a restriction known as Title 42. That rule has allowed the government to quickly expel migrants to Mexico. U.S. officials warned of difficult days ahead as the program tied to the COVID-19 pandemic expires this week.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.