Press Releases

Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) released the following statement after Mayor Eric Adams announced plans to bus migrants to Rockland County.

"Mayor Eric Adams must not send migrants to Rockland County as part of his plan to alleviate the strain New York City is under," said Congressman Lawler. "Rockland County is not a sanctuary county, unlike New York City and its boroughs, and should notbear the costs associated with the Biden administration's abject failure on border security and immigration policy."

"Two months ago, County Executive Ed Day and I raised a red flag on the humanitarian crisis created by the Biden administration and the strain facing the county’s social services department, as well as our non-profits and schools, in trying to address the migrant crisis," continued Congressman Lawler. "We are a nation of immigrants — my wife being one of them — and we welcome them to our country and our community, but it is unsustainable to have 15,000 migrants crossing the border daily without any plan for housing, employment, or food. It is clear that the White House has no real plan to handle the migrant crisis in cities across America, except to allow it to continue unimpeded."

"While I have long agreed with Mayor Adams about the need for more federal aid to accommodate the migrant crisis in New York City, I am fundamentally opposed to shifting that crisis to other communities that are notprepared to handle that influx," concluded Congressman Lawler. "This is not a partisan issue. There is a real strain on food banks, shelters, and our non-profits in the 17th District already, and these additional arrivals may send them under."

New York's 17th Congressional District is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester County.