POUGHKEEPSIE – In anticipation of asylum seekers being bused to Dutchess County motels, County Executive Bill O’Neil has declared a state of emergency and two executive orders.
“These measures will, to the best of the county’s ability, preserve our rights and safeguard the well-being of our residents and our community by enforcing various established codes and regulations – a pre-emptive step necessitated by the haphazard efforts of New York City to randomly disperse individuals throughout New York State,” the executive order states.
Similar orders were previously executed in Rockland, Orange and Sullivan counties where migrants have already been placed in hotels. Greene County has also issued a declaration; however, like Dutchess, no asylum seekers have been located there.
Immediately after O’Neil declared the Dutchess declaration, several community groups issued a statement saying they welcome asylum seekers to the county.
Beacon Climate Action Now, Community Voices Heard, For the Many, Mutual Aid Beacon, Mothers Out Front Dutchess County, and Yvette Valdes Smith, Democratic minority leader of the county legislature are joining together to declare support for all those who are seeking safety in the county.
