Update: Gov. Kathy Hochul will send New York National Guard service members to Monroe County in response to a local request for additional security with migrants bused here from New York City.
The county did not point specifically to Erie County, where two sexual assaults are alleged to have involved migrants but instead to "recent occurrences in other counties hosting asylees." It was not immediately clear the number of personnel to be deployed, nor what specific functions they would have or for how long.
A spokesperson released the following statement on Tuesday:
“Governor Hochul deployed more than 1,800 members of the National Guard to provide logistical and operational support at shelter sites in New York City, and has committed to meeting requests for National Guard for all counties that have welcomed asylum seekers. Additional National Guard deployments are in process for Erie and Monroe Counties, at the request of local leaders.”
The original story continues below:
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello has asked Gov. Kathy Hochul to send in the National Guard and other resources to assist with asylum seekers bused from New York City to Rochester last week.
The request for the Guard was related to security, a county spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, more than a quarter of the 77 migrants who were relocated here already have been returned to New York City at their request, according to the county. Another busload of migrants that was expected Monday never arrived.
The fluid and at time chaotic nature of the migrant situation is raising concerns across the state and has the private company tasked with transporting and coordinating the care of migrants, DocGo, under scrutiny.
In addition to complaints of migrants feeling misled or being lied to, advocates for them have expressed concerns about the food being provided and mistreatment.
In Erie County, two reported sexual assaults involving migrants led to the deployment of Guard troops there, and a halt to that city receiving any more transports of asylum seekers until security is reassessed.
“The company that's been charged with doing this, I think there's some real questions about their capabilities,” Congressman Joe Morelle, D-Irondequoit, said Monday, “real questions about their performance.”
'Not acceptable'
DocGo is a for-profit business that made its name during the pandemic providing mobile screenings and vaccinations. When migrants began flowing into New York City last spring, the firm pivoted to migrant care, securing a no-bid contract to oversee everything from migrant housing and health care to security and transportation. As the five boroughs became overwhelmed, Mayor Eric Adams began busing migrants upstate.
The first two buses arrived in Rochester last Monday, and the objections came almost immediately after migrants disembarked.
“Some families were not clearly communicated with, where they were going, what their destination was, and were surprised to learn that they were in Rochester, New York,” said Monroe County Attorney John Bringewatt. “Obviously, that's not acceptable to us. This is a voluntary program.”
Three families totaling more than 20 migrants were sent back to New York City at their request, Bringewatt said. He spoke to officials there on Monday, and with representatives of DocGo.
The goal of the conversation, he said, was to get ahead of complaints, many of which are being echoed on a larger scale elsewhere. Complaints raised by officials in the Albany area prompted the New York City Mayor’s Office to pledge to look in to the matter.
Other concerns locally have been the adequacy of the food. County officials explained that, in some cases, food was being served cold or that it was not “culturally appropriate.”
“The complaint as I understood was that it was not up to what you or I might want to eat,” Bringewatt said.
Elsewhere there have been complaints the food has spoiled.
Food might seem like a basic issue but those working with the migrants here and across the state "have been very vocal about the need for food to be adjusted" to more familiar fare, said Cassandra Bocanegra, working locally with the New York Immigration Coalition.
"Just because we're used to something like mac and cheese or Hamburger Helper doesn't mean that the whole world is," she said.
'Things could change'
The county continues to develop its oversight role, working to plan regular check-ins with DocGo and New York City, as well as drop-ins at the site and open communication with an array of service providers. But Morelle also wants a course correction.
“I think unless they can demonstrate that they (DocGo) have real accountability here, and they have control, things could change,” he said.
To what? That’s unclear.
The county maintains it has the authority to remove DocGo, locally. But that is a worst-case scenario and there is no plan currently for what agency or agencies could take over.
Morelle and Bello – in separate calls with the governor’s office on Monday – asked that the National Guard be sent in to provide added security and other assistance, such as with public health.
“I think a presence by them would be ... a way to help ensure further security both for asylum seekers, but more broadly speaking, our community -- so we don't see what has alleged to have happened in in Buffalo,” Morelle said.
There is concern among advocates and others working with the migrants, many of whom are children, that deploying the Guard be done with care. Many of the migrants are people who fled countries where military and police are seen as a threat.
"I just want to make sure that folks are taken care of, and supported, and that they feel welcomed, and that they don't feel any additional anxiety," Bocanegra said — which includes feeling free to speak up. "Because just going through the journey of leaving your home to come to a completely new country is a lot; there's a lot that goes into it.
"And there's a lot of courage that goes into doing something like that."
Hochul’s office did not immediately respond to questions about whether she would support a deployment of Guard troops into Rochester.
A spokesperson for DocGo released the following statement in response to the criticisms:
“Facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in New York State, DocGo remains unwavering in providing comprehensive services to asylum seekers, ranging from medical care, social work, case work, and daily essentials including meals and laundry. Collaborating closely with New York City and local officials, we engage with community-based organizations and prioritize local vendors, including those minority-, woman-, and veteran-owned, to ensure seamless care. In Rochester, like in all other cities where we are operating, our senior leadership actively connects with local entities to foster understanding and enhance service delivery.”
Bringewatt said the company has been responsive and accessible, thus far.
Includes reporting by staff writer Noelle Evans.
