Assemblyman Santabarbara Stands Firm: Disputes NYC Mayor’s Office Claims on Migrant Handling and Community Sheltering

Statement made by Spokesperson for NYC Mayor Eric Adams TODAY: “Mayor Adams personally notified electeds from across the state months ago that we would soon need to seek the help of other communities in finding space to shelter migrants with NYC coverings the costs. Since that time, our team has reached out before migrants are moved to local communities, including to Schenectady.”

"Let me be clear: there was no advanced notification or consultation provided to Schenectady County, the Town of Rotterdam, or my office regarding the arrival of migrants in our community. Contrary to the claims made by a spokesperson for City of New York Mayor Eric Adams, we were completely in the dark until the buses were already enroute to the Super 8 Motel.


This lack of transparency and communication is deeply concerning and follows a pattern of misinformation. It is evident that both the company contracted by the Mayor's office, DocGo, and the Super 8 Motel, have also been untruthful in their dealings. These actions are unacceptable and have resulted in unnecessary hardship for vulnerable individuals.


To address these issues and prevent such incidents from happening in the future, I’ve introduced a new bill that will require municipalities to provide advanced notification and consultation when relocating individuals to other communities. Secrecy and middle-of-the-night operations are not acceptable practices, and this legislation aims to put an end to them.


Furthermore, the allegations of lying by those involved in these matters are serious and warrant investigation. As such, we are sharing the information about these lies with the Attorney General's Office for further review.


We must prioritize honesty, transparency, and collaboration when it comes to dealing with issues that impact communities across the state. I’m working to ensure that our legislation promotes these principles and safeguards the rights and well-being of all New York residents.”