In a recent development, a Manhattan judge has dismissed the $700 million lawsuit filed by Mayor Eric Adams against bus companies accused of transporting over 33,000 unauthorized immigrants to New York City.
The judge deemed the case “dubious at best” and rejected it on constitutional grounds.
The lawsuit, filed in January, targeted 17 bus companies for allegedly violating state law by ferrying individuals from Texas to New York City.
However, Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Mary Rosado ruled the lawsuit as “unconstitutional,” citing the Interstate Commerce Clause.
Judge Rosado’s ruling on Monday highlighted that the city’s attempt to regulate the transportation of unauthorized immigrants across state lines infringed upon constitutional provisions.
She specifically cited the reliance on a 19th-century “pauper’s statute,” noting that it had been declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court over 80 years ago.
Mayor Adams had claimed that the bus companies failed to cover the expenses associated with caring for the unauthorized immigrants, resulting in city expenditures of approximately $700 million over two years.
He asserted that these companies violated state law by not bearing these costs and subsequently initiated a lawsuit against them.
Lisa Zornberg, chief counsel to the mayor and City Hall, acknowledged the court’s decision but maintained that the 1817 statute upon which the suit was based had not been definitively ruled unconstitutional.
Zornberg emphasized that the city’s objective was to protect its social services system and residents.
Attorney Robert Hantman, representing the bus companies, appreciated Judge Rosado for her impartiality and legal adherence in handling the case.
According to information from the city, around 33,600 unauthorized immigrants have been bused to New York since April 2022.
The city also reported that over 200,000 migrants have arrived in total, with approximately 64,000 still residing in city shelters as of July.
Prior to this legal dispute, Mayor Adams had lauded President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for halting former President Donald Trump’s border wall construction.
He had also affirmed New York City’s commitment to being a sanctuary for migrants.
This decision comes amid ongoing debates about immigration policies and responsibilities towards unauthorized immigrants at both state and federal levels.
"We should protect our immigrants." Period.
Yes, New York City will remain a sanctuary city under an Adams administration. #EricOnNBC
— Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) October 20, 2021
