Immigration right’s advocates rallied in Niagara Square Thursday in support of Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz’s support of asylum seekers heading to Western New York from New York City.
On Saturday Poloncarz said he would not order a state of emergency through Title-42, a policy which gives health officials the authority to exclude people from certain countries during public health emergencies.
Advocates from Jericho Road Community Health Center wouldn’t confirm nor deny reports that asylum seekers would be housed at Buffalo State University or the University at Buffalo upon arrival.
New York Immigration Coalition Organizing & Strategy for Upstate Director Meghan Maloney de Zaldivar called the rhetoric coming from a few politicians from across the state as "rooted in hate and racism" and questions how people seeking asylum from the global south are any different than the Ukrainians who were welcomed into this region with open arms.
It is unknown how many asylum seekers are heading to this region or when they are arriving.
