New York governor Kathy Hochul (D.) told local officials in the state to accept illegal immigrants and not be "bigoted."
"I also want to say to parts of our country and our state who are enacting bigoted policies based on fear and intimidation, join us," Hochul said Monday. "Let people know the true story of what New York is."
Hochul's comments came a day after Suffolk County, outside New York City, said it would not accept migrants bused in from the Big Apple. Earlier this month, Democratic mayor Eric Adams announced his plan to bus migrants to suburban areas outside his city despite criticizing Republican governors for doing the same to New York City for months.
Adams planned earlier this month to bus hundreds of migrants to Rockland and Orange Counties, angering local leaders. The city planned to house about 300 men in hotels. Rockland and Orange Counties declared a state of emergency to prevent Adams from busing migrants to their communities, the New York Post reported.
Just this month Adams criticized Texas governor Greg Abbott (R.) for "deciding to play politics with people's lives" by busing migrants to his city and to Chicago and Washington, which call themselves "sanctuary cities" for migrants.
"I understand hesitation of the unknown, but these individuals are coming with full financial support," Hochul said on Monday.