The City Council received an update from Mayor Eddie Sundquist during Monday’s work session regarding the recent increase in migration in Jamestown. Pictured, from left, are Sundquist, Deputy Fire Chief Matt Coon and City Council President Anthony Dolce, R-Ward II. P-J photo by Timothy Frudd

Mayor Eddie Sundquist provided an update for the City Council Monday regarding the city’s efforts to handle the recent increase in migration in the Jamestown region.

During Monday’s work session, City Councilman Randy Daversa, R-At Large, asked Sundquist if the city administration had any update regarding migrants relocating to Jamestown over the past few weeks.

Sundquist explained that his administration has had “direct phone calls” with the Department of Homeland Security regarding the recent migrants that have relocated to Jamestown. The city has also been working with both Social Security and the White House Intergovernmental Affairs Office.

“To our knowledge, we’ve not seen an influx currently of additional migrants, so we’re just kind of working with them and the organizations that are directly working with them to get Social Security cards which would allow them to get certain benefits but also to have some type of ID which is required for the Food Band and other things,” Sundquist said.

Asked by Daversa whether additional funding has been made available for working with migrants, Sundquist explained that Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget includes $5 billion for “migrant services.”

Sundquist said the $5 billion in funding will be distributed to municipalities and communities that have seen increases in migration.

However, Sundquist added that it will take “some time” for the funding to process through the state budget and be distributed to communities throughout the state.

“We’re still trying to learn more about what that’s going to look like,” he said.

According to Sundquist, the recent increase in migration has cost almost $2 billion for New York City alone.

“We are working with our federal partners to try to deal with that,” Sundquist said. “We’re also working locally with United Way, which has access to FEMA and a humanitarian fund that would help also provide the services through local organizations.”

Last month, State Sen. George Borrello made an appearance on “Fox & Friends First,” detailing the impact of migrants relocating to the Jamestown region.

At the time of his appearance on Fox News, Borrello explained that about 35 individuals had already relocated from Jamestown, reportedly crossing the Mexican border and traveling to New York City before relocating to Chautauqua County.

Borrello warned that the county lacks the resources to support an increase in migration.

While local officials have acknowledged a recent increase in migration, the city administration has explained that the increase in migration does not change how the city operates.

“The city is no stranger to immigration and migration,” Sundquist previously told The Post-Journal. “Being surrounded by rural farmland, we’ve seen migrant workers. That’s no real change for us. The same thing occurs in Dunkirk as well. There’s just a broader need for a way to deal with our migrant population.”