Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus Leads Bi-Partisan Call to Action to Address Migrant Crisis

Goshen, N.Y. - Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus is taking a lead role in urging President Joe Biden and the US Congress to address the ongoing migrant crisis. In a bi-partisan letter addressed to President Biden dated April 9, 2024, Neuhaus joined forces with Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy to emphasize the pressing need for immediate action.

The letter, a result of a recent visit to the southern border by a delegation of New York County Executives, underscores the urgency of the situation. Neuhaus and McCoy are now firsthand witnesses to the struggles faced by both the border communities in Texas and New Mexico and cities and counties across the nation, including those in New York, where migrants are being transported.

Having met with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers and U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) Agents, Neuhaus and McCoy relayed accounts of the dire situation, including drug and human smuggling, gaps in physical border barriers, dangers posed by illegal crossings, and the strain on resources of CBP and USBP officials.

"We were informed by USBP that approximately 34,000 unaccounted-for migrants have crossed in one area of the New Mexico/Mexican Border since October. Their current whereabouts and countries of origin are completely unknown, which is a major national security risk. At that same site, USBP advised us that we must leave by dusk as the US Border is controlled by cartels after dark," the letter states.

Neuhaus emphasized the significance of the migrant crisis for the residents of Orange County, stating, "The challenges at the southern border directly impact the safety and well-being of Orange County residents. Addressing this crisis is not only a national issue; it's also a matter of grave local concern. We must ensure the security of our borders and the integrity of our communities."

In the letter, Neuhaus and McCoy call for bipartisan cooperation to address immediate challenges, including securing the border, increasing staffing and resources for border protection agencies, improving infrastructure and coordination for the humane treatment of migrants, and enhancing communication and information-sharing among federal agencies.

Neuhaus and McCoy provided suggestions in the letter, including prioritizing the physical presence of border patrol agents, improving legal pathways for entry into the United States, reducing asylum waiting periods, and streamlining the asylum application processing. The letter also emphasizes the need for consequences for illegal entry into the country and calls for consistent enforcement of policies across borders.

"We urge you to prioritize addressing the migrant crisis and implementing comprehensive reforms to our immigration system. The well-being of our communities, the dignity of migrants, and the bedrock ideals of the United States of America depend on swift and decisive action," the letter concludes.

New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) President Steven Acquario recently recorded a podcast with Neuhaus and McCoy discussing the border crisis and the letter that was sent. The podcast, "County Conversations," can be listened to here.

To learn more about what County Executive Neuhaus is doing for Orange County, follow Orange County Government and Steven M. Neuhaus on Facebook. You can also watch Neuhaus' NeuCast podcasts and Leadership Speaker Series.

For more information, contact Mary Pat Smith, Assistant to the County Executive, at 845.291.3258 or [email protected].

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Photo caption: Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus and Albany County Executive Dan McCoy at a visit to the southern border in late March 2024.

The three-page letter sent to President Biden from NYSAC and NYSCEA

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