New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued an executive order requiring charter buses transporting migrants to the city to issue officials with a 32-hour notice and to use designated drop-off zones in Manhattan.
In a press statement on Wednesday, Adams said Order 538 responded to the influx of migrants without prior notice to the city's officials. Adams said the city registered 14,700 arrivals from Texas last month, with more than 14 buses arriving in Manhattan last week.
Adams said some migrants used other forms of transportation. abc7ny.com reported that 180 migrants were flown from El Paso to Kennedy Airport. However, the flight was diverted to Philadephia due to unfavourable weather conditions.
The mayor did not spare criticism for Texas Governor Greg Abbott, whom he accused of using migrants as "political pawns" and hampering the city's migrant management processes through unannounced arrivals.
Buses covered by the order must drop off migrants at the loading zone on West 41st Street between 8th and 9th Avenues in Manhattan between 8:30 AM and 12:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
Failure to adhere to the executive order will attract possible fines and impoundment.
"Under New York State law, knowingly violating a local executive order is a class B misdemeanor crime punishable by up to three months imprisonment, an up to $500 fine for individuals, and an up to $2,000 fine for corporations. Additionally, companies knowingly violating Executive Order 538 could have their buses impounded by the New York City Police Department," said the mayor's office.
Adams said the city needed state and federal assistance to address the migrant crisis adequately.
"We need federal and state help to resettle and support the remaining 68,000 migrants currently in New York City’s care and the thousands of individuals who continue to arrive every single week, and for Governor Abbott to finally stop the games and use of migrants as political pawns," he said.
