Judge rejects Mayor Adams’ bid to have migrant lawsuit against suburban counties heard in Manhattan

July 21, 2023

A New York State Supreme Court judge denied Mayor Eric Adams’ request to prevent a change of venue for the lawsuit the city filed against suburban counties who imposed emergency orders blocking the bus of migrants to their turf.

Manhattan judge Lyle E. Frank ruled on Thursday the cases have to be heard in the impacted jurisdictions — the counties outside New York City, or, in this particular case, Suffolk County.

Adams’ administration filed a lawsuit against the Long Island city of Riverhead in Suffolk County, following an executive order halting shipments of migrants from New York City earlier this year.

Riverhead requested that the case be heard in Suffolk County, which New York City opposed, requesting the case instead remain in Manhattan, citing “judicial economy” and its repeated claims “that the material events giving rise to the instant litigation occurred and are occurring in New York County,” according to court documents.

mgirants on sidewalk outside of the Roosevelt Hotel — A judge rejected New York City’s request that a lawsuit against a Long Island city over migrant bussing be held in Manhattan.

NYC bus outside of Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan — New York City is suing the suburban towns for enacting executive orders blocking the city from shipping migrants there.

“The Court does not find the City’s arguments persuasive,” Frank wrote.

“First, the material events giving rise to the litigation is not the influx of migrants arriving in New York City, the material events that give rise to this instant litigation are the issuance and enforcement of the Executive Orders issued by respondents. The petition and the relief sought make that clear.

“Moreover, the Court finds that the City has failed to establish any compelling circumstances as to warrant that venue remain in New York County in violation of the applicable statutes that mandate the judicial proceeding or action against a county to be in said county or in the “judicial district where the respondent made the determination complained of,” he concluded.

Adams’ admin has tried to send migrants to suburbs outside of NYC, like to this hotel in Orangeburg, NY.

Mayor Eric Adams — Adams said more than 2,800 migrants arrived in New York City last week alone.

A small group of migrants from Venezuela have set up three camping tents underneath the BQE near the intersection of Hall Street and Park Avenue. — A small group of migrants from Venezuela set up three camping tents underneath the BQE near the intersection of Hall Street and Park Avenue.

The case in Riverhead will be transferred to the State Supreme Court in Suffolk County, Frank ruled.

The Post has reached out to city hall for comment.

Adams has faced several lawsuits from New York counties earlier this year after the city started shipping migrants to local hotels as it struggled to find space for them across the five boroughs.

In recent weeks, more than 400 migrants were bussed up to Erie County, officials there said.

Roughly 2,800 migrants had arrived in the Big Apple last week alone, Adams said last week, adding to the nearly 100,000 who have poured in since April last year.

More than 54,800 asylum seekers are staying at one of the city’s 188 emergency shelter sites set up to deal with the surge, officials said.

Other migrants have set themselves up in tents on the streets.