Suffolk County legislator proposes legal action to curb migrant arrival
SUFFOLK COUNTY - Legislator Kevin McCaffrey plans to hire an outside counsel to explore what can be done to prevent migrants from coming into Suffolk County.
The presiding officer of the legislature insists finding housing for migrants is a federal problem and an unfair burden he’s not willing to take on.
McCaffrey points out that even if the city paid for migrants’ housing and other expenses it’d place a strain on already taxed services and schools.
A growing number of Supervisors in towns including Babylon, Brookhaven, Huntington, Islip, Riverhead, and Southampton are also taking a stand. In a joint statement, they say they believe "federal officials need to step up, and it should not and cannot be left to local governments to shoulder this burden."
While Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone says he opposes plans to bus migrants to random locations, he does say he’s open to state-owned and coordinated sites.
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According to Mayor Eric Adams, more than 70,000 migrants have arrived in the Big Apple over recent months, and 42,000 are still under city care.
But Angel Reyes with the nonprofit Make the Road New York advocates for immigrants and believes there shouldn’t be any pushback and those who seek asylum are following a legal process.
"The community is going to stand up against this hateful rhetoric," Reyes said.
The procedural motion for outside counsel is expected to be filed with the clerk’s office on Tuesday but whether it will be taken up for immediate consideration by the legislature hasn’t been decided.