Four migrant buses arrived at the Secaucus train station on Saturday before the migrants onboard took trains into New York City, according to Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli.
Just last week, New York Mayor Eric Adams announced an executive order requiring buses arrive into NYC only between 8:30 a.m. and noon on weekdays at a single drop-off site, or face fines, lawsuits or buses being impounded.
According to Adams' office, buses must drop off passengers at the loading zone on West 41st Street between 8th and 9th avenues in Manhattan. Chartered buses must also provide 32 hours notice before arriving in the city.
In New York, more than 161,000 migrants have arrived and sought city aid since spring 2022.
Gonnelli said in a statement that the bus operators "have figured out a loophole in the system" to get the migrants to New York City.
“It seems quite clear the bus operators are finding a way to thwart the requirements of the Executive Order by dropping migrants at the train station in Secaucus and having them continue to their final destination," Mayor Gonnelli said.
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Gonnelli said it's possible "the requirements Mayor Adams put in place are too stringent and are resulting in unexpected consequences."
On Monday, Adams' chief of staff respond to Gonnelli's comments saying "they should aim their criticism at Governor Abbott [of Texas]."
“Anyone coming here and accepting the buses that Abbott is arranging for them needs to understand it’s going to take even longer than they realized," said Camille Joseph Varlack, Adams' chief of staff.
According to Gonnelli, the New Jersey State Police said a similar situation is occurring at other train stations in the state.
A message posted on a social media account for Jersey City said the city's emergency management agency reports that “approximately 10 buses from various locations in Texas and one from Louisiana have arrived at various transit stations throughout the state, including Secaucus, Fanwood, Edison, Trenton." About 397 migrants had arrived at those locations since Saturday, the post Sunday said.
“This is clearly going to be a statewide conversation so it is important that we wait for some guidance from the governor here on next steps" as buses continue, the post said.
“I have been advised the State of New Jersey has a plan in place and we will be working closely with the Governor’s office, all law enforcement agencies, and the County to monitor this situation,” Gonnelli said.
A spokesperson for Gov. Phil Murphy said the administration is working with federal and local partners, including New York City.
“Our Administration has tracked the recent arrival of a handful buses of migrant families at various NJ TRANSIT train stations," said Tyler Jones, deputy press secretary for Murphy, in a statement. "New Jersey is primarily being used as a transit point for these families — all or nearly all of them continued with their travels en route to their final destination of New York City."
NYC Comptroller Brad Lander said Chicago's similar executive order has not had much of an effect in the number of migrants coming to the Windy City.
"I think what will solve the problem is getting these folks work authorization so they can get jobs — get out of shelters and get on their feet," Lander said.
