In a recent ruling, the New York State Supreme Court rejected Mayor Eric Adams’ proposal of preventing migrant buses from entering New York City.
The mayor made a request for a preliminary injunction to prevent bus companies based in Texas from bringing asylum seekers to the city.
The mayor’s request to implement the move was deemed unconstitutional by The New York Civil Liberties Union. Consequently, the court rejected the mayor’s proposal.
The decision of the court was respected by the mayor’s office on Tuesday.
Mayor Adams’ lawsuit against charter bus companies
The mayor took legal action in January by filing a lawsuit against 17 charter bus companies that had transported asylum seekers to New York City.
According to the lawsuit, the bus companies were found guilty of violating New York’s Social Services Law by leaving thousands of individuals without any means of support. The city sought for a compensation of over $700 million to cover the expenses of providing shelter, food, and healthcare to these individuals.
According to the mayor’s office, the lawsuit played a role in temporarily decreasing the influx of buses carrying asylum seekers into the city.
Lisa Zornberg, the chief counsel to the mayor and City Hall, stated that despite the court’s ruling, their lawsuit had a positive impact on the situation. From January until now, about half of the bus companies stopped transporting people to New York City as per Texas’ direction. This move was helpful in managing the situation effectively.
According to Zornberg, the bus companies were never prohibited from bringing asylum seekers to the city. However, if they are aware of transporting migrants by bus, they are required to give a notice of 32 hours in advance and drop them off at a designated location.
