Gov. Kathy Hochul issues emergency order before expected surge of migrants  

With a critical federal border policy set to expire, Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an executive order Tuesday to prepare for an expected surge of migrants and asylum seekers in New York by tapping $1 billion in additional state funding and mobilizing 500 more members of the National Guard.

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued Title 42, a policy that officials said was meant to stop the spread of the virus but was used by the Trump administration to swiftly turn back migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. 

The policy is set to expire May 11, the same day the federal COVID public health emergency ends.

The expiration of Title 42 is widely expected to lead to a surge of asylum seekers attempting to cross into the United States.

Hochul's executive order would allow the state to mobilize an additional 500 members of the National Guard who are currently providing logistical and operational support at the Port Authority and shelter sites — which are serving as welcome centers for asylum-seekers as they await legal work status — bringing the mobilization total to about 1,500 service members.

The order also allows the state and local municipalities to rapidly purchase supplies and resources to support asylum seekers, including food.

"For more than a year, we have been working closely with [New York City] Mayor [Eric] Adams to provide support and advocate for federal resources to address the large numbers of asylum-seekers arriving in New York City," Hochul said in a statement. "With Title 42 set to expire, the circumstances on the ground are expected to change significantly and this executive order will be an important part of our coordinated response. I have spoken to Mayor Adams and county executives throughout New York as we work to address this situation."   

The executive order would also authorize state and municipal officials to quickly tap $1 billion in funding that was included in Hochul's 2024 fiscal budget, which was allocated to support the large number of expected asylum seekers in the city and elsewhere.

Those funds include $741 million for shelter costs; $162 million to support the National Guard presence; $137 million in health care costs; $26 million in public assistance; $25 million for the voluntary relocation of families to permanent housing; $10 million for legal assistance and $5 million for enhanced support through the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.