Posted on May 12, 2023

Eric Adams Rips Ed Day as ‘Racist’ and ‘Anti-Semitic’ After Blocking Asylum Seekers From Rockland

Reuven Fenton et al., New York Post, May 11, 2023

Mayor Eric Adams ripped into Rockland County Executive Ed Day Thursday for blocking asylum seekers from heading to his district — as dozens of migrants arrived at an Orange County hotel just hours after New York City said it was temporarily backing off its plans.

“When you look at the County Exec Day, I mean this guy has a record of being anti-Semitic, his racist comments,” Adams said as he lashed out at the Rockland pol, without offering up examples of such remarks.

“His thoughts and how he responded to this really shows a lack of leadership,” Adams said of Day.

“I thought he was the Texas governor the way he acted.”

Hizzoner had accused the Lonestar State’s GOP Gov. Greg Abbott of trying to “hurt Black-run cities” earlier this month.

The mayor’s criticism came as a bus carrying about 20 asylum seekers from the Big Apple pulled up to the Crossroads Hotel in Newburgh, about 60 miles north of NYC, just before 10.30 a.m. A second bus arrived shortly after 12.30 p.m., unloading roughly the same number of migrants.

The Big Apple’s decision to forge ahead with the migrant buses came just hours after City Hall spokesman Fabien Levy said late Wednesday the plan had been paused — at least short-term.

Adams’ push to relocate the asylum seekers to Orange and Rockland counties this week has been met with fierce criticism — and legal action — from the top pols up there as they frantically sought to thwart the Big Apple’s plans.

Day quickly fired back, telling The Post: “The Mayor can call me every name in the book to deflect the reality of this former officer’s clear disregard for our laws.”

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Day, who issued a state of emergency for his county last weekend, had earlier threatened to grab Adams “by the throat” if he tried to offload the city’s growing migrant problem onto his tight-knit community.

The Big Apple was already forced to back down from plans to bus migrants to the Armoni Inn & Suites in Rockland County after a state judge on Tuesday granted local officials’ request for a temporary restraining order that prevents the hotel from operating as a shelter.

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus issued a similar declaration earlier this week that prohibits hotels, motels and other short-term rentals from accepting any migrants.

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Not everyone was thrilled for the migrants to arrive in Newburgh, a city of nearly 29,000. When asked about the busloads of asylum seekers, an onlooker named Kevin told The Post, “God help this country. Once the faucet opens, it doesn’t close. One hotel today, another hotel tomorrow. This town is f–ked.”

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Meanwhile, Adams on Thursday vowed to fight all legal challenges put in the city’s way — as he insisted the Big Apple is now receiving an average of 500 migrants per day.

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Separately, the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against both Rockland and Orange counties for attempting to thwart the relocation of migrants.

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It comes after Adams late Wednesday signed an executive order that lifts parts of the city’s emergency right to shelter law for asylum seekers amid the escalating crisis.

The order, in effect for five days, suspends parts of three laws that regulate how, when and where the Big Apple can shelter homeless families as the city expects a new surge of migrants after the federal Title 42 border policy ends Thursday.

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