Rockland Daily Staff

In the ongoing legal battle Rockland County has entered into with New York City over busing immigrants into the County, as reported by Rockland Daily here, NYC has finagled its way to having the case moved out of Rockland County and to State Supreme Court in New York City instead.

County Executive Ed Day says Rockland County can not expect a State supreme court judge in NYC to be fair after NYC attorneys filed a motion to change the venue to New York City.

The battle concerns the  City's "decompression" plan to house illegal immigrants in Rockland temporarily. 

"Quadrupling our homeless population overnight, as the City of New York's decompression strategy would undoubtedly do, would only compound this crisis," yesterday's press release from the County states. 

NYC also asked Supreme Court Judge Thomas Zugibe, who has been presiding over the case, to adjourn the preliminary injunction hearing until after a decision is made on the motion to change the venue. 

"Within an hour, and without speaking to the County, which is the plaintiff in the case, Judge Zugibe granted the adjournment, the press release states, "allowing a New York City judge to decide if they'd like to preside over the case moving forward without ruling on the County's request for a preliminary injunction first and leaving that request in the New York City judge's hands."

"The County of Rockland is now urging Judge Zugibe to withdraw the adjournment for the County's preliminary injunction and continue presiding over a case that will significantly impact the County he swore to serve, "the press release continues. "Preliminary injunctions have already been granted in similar cases in Orange County and the Town of Orangetown.

"What justice can we reasonably expect from New York City? I firmly believe a case that is about Rockland should be adjudicated and decided by judges elected by Rockland," said County Executive Day. "If not, this latest case of overcrowding is foreshadowing the future of Rockland and the danger facing our residents, visitors, and first responders."