Editorial

Border issues extend far to the north

Posted 5/18/23

The end of Title 42 restrictions last week at the U.S. Southern Border did not quite produce the anticipated chaos, but the ripple effect has made its own journey, all the way to Orange County.

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Editorial

Border issues extend far to the north

Posted

The end of Title 42 restrictions last week at the U.S. Southern Border did not quite produce the anticipated chaos, but the ripple effect has made its own journey, all the way to Orange County.

Two busloads of asylum seekers, courtesy of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, made their way into the Town of Newburgh last week, sparking outrage and anger, along with some compassion, among various elected officials. There were many accusations and much finger-pointing, as well as a number of lawsuits in the hours after their arrival at the Crossroads Hotel on Lakeside Road.

At this writing, Orange County is suing the City of New York, and the Town of Newburgh is seeking legal action against the hotel chains claiming the use of their facilities as “shelters” violates the town’s municipal codes. Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus and Newburgh Town Supervisor Gil Piaquadio are blaming Adams and the city administration for foisting this problem on the Town of Newburgh. (Neuhaus also claimed to have received assurances from the city that the buses weren’t coming, just hours before they actually arrived). The mayor says the Big Apple cannot accommodate any more asylum seekers and blames the Federal government for not providing enough resources to deal with this problem. The asylum seekers do have the support of, among others, the American Civil Liberties Union and a number of Orange County Legislators who objected to the harsh tone of their county executive. Many people were on hand to welcome the buses that arrived last week.

In the midst of the rhetoric came some important questions posed by the town supervisor who wondered what will happen to the asylum seekers once their stay at the Crossroads Hotel has ended and how do they access services in an area that is largely residential. Many of these individuals came with only the clothes on their backs. Is someone providing them with food, clothing or any hopes of long-term housing or jobs? We look forward to these answers.

The Federal government needs to take ownership of this crisis. There needs to be a plan that will not only provide for these immigrants, but take matters out of the hands of governors who seek to use this crisis for their own political gain, something we see whenever busloads arrive at the Vice President’s doorstep or in places like Martha’s Vineyard. Are there unused college dormitories or shuttered military bases somewhere that could be utilized to provide housing? Are there enough programs in place to provide food, clothing, job opportunities and counseling to these new immigrants? That’s a costly proposition, but one that may provide a more viable solution than to let every state or municipality fend for themselves.

We should also realize that turning everyone away is not a humanitarian option. Many of us are the children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren of immigrants who were allowed to enter this country in search of a better life. We may very well owe our existence to the kindness of others.