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2023-05-11 -Signs, Portents, and the Weather-

Court order blocks NYC plan to move migrants upstate after city and county officials fight back

[FoxNews] NYC mayor's office has called on officials around the state to help alleviate pressure on the city.

A state judge in New York has put a halt to a New York City plan to bus migrants to a nearby Rockland County hotel.

Rockland Supreme Court Judge Christine D'Alessio issued a temporary restraining order to not permit the Armani Inn & Suites hotel in Orangeburg, New York, to house over 300 illegal migrants, ruling the hotel's land-use permits and certificate of occupancy do not permit the plan put forward by New York City Mayor Eric Adams to alleviate the pressure on the city's migrant shelters, according to a Journal News report Wednesday.

The ruling came after pushback to the plan from Orangetown, New York, officials, who showed the judge pictures of the hotel installing twin beds as well as stocking boxes of personal protection equipment and T-shirts inscribed with "supervisor" and "supervisor social worker." Town officials argued the photos showed that the hotel was essentially converting itself into a shelter for non-transient residents.

"To be very clear, the legal status of these individuals is irrelevant to this matter and to the Town’s decision to seek legal recourse," town supervisor Teresa M. Kenny told Fox News Digital in an email, adding that the town sought the restraining order to "ensure the integrity of local zoning regulations" which are in place "to protect the public health, safety and welfare" of the community.

"The immediate conversion of the Armoni Inn & Suites – a hotel that serves as a place of overnight accommodation for transient occupants – into a housing facility for long-term residence violates local zoning standards," Kenny added. "The steps taken by the Town, and the Temporary Restraining Order issued by the Court, are for the protection of those who would be housed in the Armoni Inn & Suites on a long-term basis, as well as the community at large."

The Armoni Inn & Suites could not be reached for comment.

The hotel was ordered to halt any conversion or take in "non-transient" guests "unless or until such use is approved by the Town of Orangetown and any other required governmental authority."

The ruling also came after heated remarks by Rockland County Executive Ed Day, who said the county has issued a state of emergency and promised a law enforcement response if New York City officials continue with the plan to bus migrants to Rockland County.

"[Adams] never asked for an opinion, he just said, ‘Screw you, Rockland County,’" Day said, according to a report from the New York Post Sunday. "Well, here is my response… Mr. Adams, you can try to run us over, [and] I will reach up and grab you by the throat for the people of Rockland County."

County officials say Adams dropped the plan, which is designed to alleviate pressure on New York City's overwhelmed shelters, on them with little notice late last week.

When reached for comment by Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for Mayor Adams' office called on officials around the state to help the city until it can get federal assistance.

"New York City has cared for more than 61,000 migrants — sheltering, feeding, and caring for them, and we have done so largely without incident," the spokesperson said. "We need the federal government to step up, but until they do, we need other elected officials around the state and country to do their part and emulate the humane and compassionate approach New York City has taken over the past year."

The spokesperson also called out Day specifically, saying the Rockland County Executive has shown he "is not a leader this state needs" and accusing him of "racist rhetoric."

"We’ve been met with racist rhetoric and reprehensible threats from the head of a county that will be tasked with caring for less than ¼ of 1% of the asylum seekers who have come to New York City, and, once again, New York would be paying for shelter, food, and services," the spokesperson said.