BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A political battle is brewing in Erie County over what to do with migrants that the state wants to send to the Buffalo area.
More buses carrying asylum seekers from the Southern Border arrived in New York City this weekend.
More than 70,000 have arrived so far, with some of them already being spread out across the state.
Now, one Erie County lawmaker is introducing legislation calling on the county executive to declare a state of emergency.
That declaration would block those migrants from being sent to the county.
Republican legislator Jim Malczewski says we do not have the proper infrastructure to handle this situation.
The resolution will be introduced Monday.
On Saturday, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz released a statement saying he would not declare a state of emergency in Erie County.
He said, "Buffalo and Erie County have always been welcoming communities to immigrants. During the past decade, we have successfully assimilated thousands of immigrants into our community, many refugees from despotic lands. This is one reason for the great rebirth of many previously down-trodden neighborhoods in Buffalo."
Right now, states of emergency are in effect in five local counties.
They are Chautauqua, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties.
This temporarily blocks New York City from busing migrants to their counties.
The goal is to give them time to find out how to integrate these people into the community.
