Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - A total of 60 migrants made the trek from New York City to Erie County on Thursday, as they arrived in the nighttime hours on two buses to be housed in a hotel in Cheektowaga.
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WBEN had learned of the expected arrival of the migrants from Downstate Thursday morning, but it wasn't until the later afternoon hours when local leaders were officially told the migrants seeking asylum were coming to Erie County.
"I just received a phone call from the administration of our County Executive, Mark Poloncarz. They have been very transparent in the last hour, because they haven't really received any information from New York City except what the newspaper has already put out publicly, " said Erie County Legislator Frank Todaro (R) during an appearance Thursday afternoon on "Bauerle".
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There had been weeks of speculation and uncertainty prior to Thursday's arrival of whether or not New York City was going to send individuals to Western New York after Poloncarz said there would be no state of emergency declared to prohibit migrants from being transported to the region. Concerns of the public were brought about to Legislators from the districts they represent, but time-and-time again, there were very little answers.
"There hasn't been anything behind the scenes except we would call and say, 'If there's anything, if you can extend some information,' because our phones [and emails] are constantly getting inundated with a lot of concern," Todaro said on WBEN. "We have the same concerns, we have the same questions. We're not getting those answers."
Fellow Erie County Legislator Jim Malczewski (R) was also left in the dark when it came to his concerns on migrants coming to the region. When asked about anything he had heard regarding migrants being transported to Erie County during Legislative committee sessions, he said nothing had been put forward to anyone with the Legislature.
"Three weeks ago, I called for a state of emergency because of the lack of transparency, nothing has come forward since. Today, when I got up this morning, I found out the asylum seekers would possibly be here from a media outlet. That's wrong. As a government official, that's wrong," said Malczewski.
It was shortly after Poloncarz had announced the county would not declare a state of emergency that Malczewski attempted to present a resolution to the Legislature floor to, at the very least, discuss any sort of plan for migrants to be housed in the county. The item ended up being tabled and sent to the Government Affairs Committee, despite the Minority Caucus challenging the motion.
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"The Majority of the Legislature has sent that item without any type of communication, no conversation, right to the Committee of Government Affairs. I want to let everybody know, Government Affairs Committee has not met in over nine months. When I'm hearing this and seeing this right before my eyes, I'm like, 'Oh, great, another important conversation that's being put aside, to bed. We're not going to talk about it,'" Todaro said in disgust with Tom Bauerle. "I hope maybe now that this is getting more serious, we can, at least, start getting some answers and talk about this publicly."
In the three weeks since, Malczewski believes there still have been no preparation made to welcome any influx of migrants to the Erie County, leaving constituents of his district and other residents still in the dark on many concerning factors.
"There is no plan," Malczewski said. "What I'm asking for is transparency and accountability. As a government official, I need to answer to my residents, I need to answer to my towns, 'What do you know?' I can't answer that."
Among the concerns from Legislators is whether or not this is one wave of migrants coming to the region, or there are more individuals to come that need housing and shelter.
"Is this the first batch? Is there another batch coming tomorrow? Is there another group coming next week? You don't know. Those are the answers that I'm looking for," Malczewski said.
Another major concern for Legislators is any potential costs for housing the migrants in Erie County. Where is the money coming from, and who is going to pay for the migrants to be housed locally?
"The New York City Mayor is saying, 'We can't afford it,' and we're going to send them here. What kind of assurances do we have that we are going to get reimbursed? That's one of the many, many questions that should have been answered over the last three weeks. That hasn't even been discussed," Malczewski said.
"We keep hearing day-in and day-out, yes, New York City is going to be covering for all this. In my world in the Legislature, where we ask the questions and we demand the answers, we have to have that conversation," Todaro added. "I want it guaranteed in writing that yes, the taxpayers will not be subject to the tension and the strain that we already are having day-to-day to live here."
Todaro further expressed his concerns over the budget in Erie County, and the fact they have not ever planned or discussed a budget to cover any potential influx of migrants in county government.
"That is bad government right there to say yes, we'll take someone in, but we're not getting the clear answers of how it's being paid for. That's a problem for me," Todaro said.
When he received Thursday afternoon's phone call with more clarity on the migrant situation set for Cheektowaga, Todaro said he made it a point to ask the question, "Who's credit cards on the hotel rooms?"
"They said all the funding currently right now, New York City is handling that. When it comes to their food, their clothing, what they're bringing with them right now and their hotel room, right now that's on the New York City credit card, let's call it," he said. "But when they're here, then what? That's the question."
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Meanwhile, the hotel location for the migrants coming to Cheektowaga remains undisclosed in an attempt to deter anyone from acting out against any individual that will be housed in Erie County who is seeking asylum. Todaro says is security will be a top priority.
"Emergency Services is well aware, wherever this address, is if there's any phone calls, any concerns. There's gonna be watchful eyes on the property, in the meantime," he said.
WBEN attempted to reach out to Democratic leaders in the Erie County Legislature and did not receive any comment.