New York Mayor Eric Adams, left, and city officials listen to a reporter's question during a City Hall press conference, Wednesday Aug. 9, 2023, in New York. Adams is calling on the federal government to declare a national emergency to ease the financial crisis the city is facing as it struggles to accommodate thousands of arriving migrants. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Refugee seekers, asylum seekers and immigrants may be heading to Chautauqua County soon regardless of county’s state of emergency order or a court injunction.

Chautauqua County is one of 32 counties that have issued emergency orders to prevent New York City from shipping asylum seekers and refugees to their communities. New York City challenged those emergency orders, with the court battle over their legality still being fought.

In an interview with The Post-Journal, one local landlord with more than 70 units described what New York City representatives of the mayor’s office offered him.

“They (New York City representatives) are willing to pay $120 a night, per-person, for a two-room occupancy,” said the head of an asset management company for a local property owner here in Jamestown who wishes to remain anonymous because of fear of retaliation or retribution. “They require a 12-month contract, which they say is legal because it’s between a property owner and them, meaning the county’s state of emergency will not be enforceable — that’s what they’re telling me.”

The county’s emergency order, as do most of the other counties’ orders, states no municipality can make contracts with persons, businesses or entities doing business within the county to transport migrants or asylum seekers to locations in the county or to house persons at locations in the county for any length of time without express written permission from County Executive PJ Wendel.

Similarly, the order states no hotel, motel or owner of a multiple dwelling in the county can contract or engage in business with any other municipality other than Chautauqua County to provide housing or accommodations for migrants or asylum seekers without a license granted by the county. The prohibition extends to any person or entity participating in another government entity’s program or contract service funded by another municipality.

“I stand by the State of Emergency and Emergency Order No. 1, known as Chautauqua County Sustainable Migration Protocol, issued on May 18, 2023 prohibiting illegal migrant resettlement to Chautauqua County. Any violations will be investigated by our Law Department and prosecuted to the fullest extent. It’s concerning to hear that individuals would consider entering a contract to accept payment to re-locate undocumented individuals, directly violating the emergency order,” Wendel said in a statement to The Post-Journal. “As county executive it is my duty to protect the financial and public safety interests of all Chautauqua County residents. Financially, we are not equipped to respond properly to an influx of individuals and families, which under federal law, are forbidden from legal employment. In terms of public safety, the recent incidents in nearby Erie County, New York, including sexual assaults and other crimes at the hands of illegal migrants, is a startling example. I believe this is a state and federal issue, and call on Governor Hochul and President Biden to take action.”

Complete coverage in Tuesday’s edition.