Monroe County welcomes 77 asylum seekers, with more on the way

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Monroe County leaders say the 77 asylum seekers who arrived in the area on Monday evening are receiving housing, food, medical care, and other essentials with funding from New York City.

At a news conference on Tuesday, leaders including County Executive Adam Bello and Mayor Malik Evans joined representatives from community organizations to speak about the asylum seekers.

The asylum seekers sent from New York City are staying at a Rochester hotel. They include families with children and they were lawfully admitted into the United States while they officially seek asylum.

In May, County Executive Adam Bello issued an executive order preventing any hotel or shelter from providing emergency shelter unless a plan is submitted and approved to the county’s Department of Human Services. The county says that, before the asylum seekers arrived, the hotel where they’re staying filed an emergency housing plan and received approval from the county.

The republican candidate for Monroe County Executive is speaking out about the arrival of migrants in the county.

Mark Assini, county executive Adam Bello’s opponent in the election for his seat, says the county gave no warning to the legislature about the two busloads of migrants that arrived last night. He says the legislature, and the public, deserve more transparency. He also thinks the county is being overburdened.

“Monroe County has a responsibility to be sure our residents are safe and cared for. We are failing our residents.”

Assini says he believes the plan put forth to house the migrants was made with no consideration for public safety.

You can help the asylum seekers here.