CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Just hours after Governor Kathy Hochul took questions about the state's plans to address the asylum seeker situation in Western New York, town board members in Cheektowaga took up this very issue.
Cheektowaga residents are frustrated about asylum seekers being brought to town.
One resident said that the decision is unfair to Cheektowaga residents and feels like the town is being singled out to accept the migrants.
"We have so many homeless of our own people, so many veterans, so many people that have problems that are homeless. We need to take care of our own people first. This is absolutely ridiculous and I think people have had it up to here," the resident said.
Another resident came up to the podium and said reimbursements are needed for residents.
Cheektowaga resident, Wally Carriero added, "I did not hear anything about reimbursements to the town for the cost of police services denying our residents police service, while they're dealing with asylum seekers. That's going to be put on the burden of the tax payers because you find money through an outside source that's not going to burden the tax payer."
With the Dingens Street facility that is currently housing some asylum seekers set to close soon, Town Supervisor Diane Benczkowski said she is trying to put a halt on more migrants being sent to town from downstate.
During a council meeting Tuesday, Benczkowski told Pheben Kassahun roughly 226 of the migrants currently living in Cheektowaga will be sent to a red roof hotel in Amherst.
Forty-eight of them are school-aged and will be enrolled in the Sweet Home Central School District, which would help Cheektowaga-Sloan Union Free School District.
7 News reached out to the school district for comment, and the Superintendent of Sweet Home CSD said in a statement, quote:
"Any school-age child that resides in Sweet Home is a Panther, and is absolutely welcome in our District. All students at Sweet Home have access to our full array of resources and our incredible faculty and staff."
Superintendent Dr. Ginestre
Sweet Home Central School District
7 News also reached out to the Town of Amherst and have yet to hear back.
NOTE: The Town of Amherst got back to 7 News Wednesday morning, with this statement:
"The migrants have not been moved to Amherst. As of this morning, we do not know if they will be coming and/or how many if they are relocated to Amherst. It is my understanding that officials from NYC work with local hotel operators to coordinate their decisions on where to house. When information is available, we can let you know, but as of right now I do not have any information on a concrete plan."
Office of the Amherst Supervisor
The move happening sometime this week, according to Town of Cheektowaga council members.
Benczkowski said this is still in the early stages and asks the community to be patient.
"We obviously can't throw these migrants out on the street. There has to be a more humane way to do it; get transferred or hopefully, stop any more migrants coming in so we can get a handle or get a plan together. The biggest one right now is the school districts," the Town Supervisor explained.
In Tuesday's Town resolution, it states Cheektowaga has obtained an attorney which is the same one Orange County, New York obtained to stop the transport of migrants.
She suggests the mayor of New York City find a spot for the migrants in his city.
"He's a city, I am a town. We are kind of at the same level. I am telling him that he opened up his city as sanctuary city. I never said, none of the board members said we are a sanctuary town," Benczkowski added.
Diane Benczkowski shared she will be retiring in December and hopes officials find a common ground with a decision.
