A federal lawsuit filed by the Jewish Child Care Association of New York claims Mount Pleasant Town Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi fabricated a state of emergency last May.
The lawsuit also names the town as a defendant.
Fulgenzi's declaration of emergency was purportedly based on New York City's designation as a sanctuary city. However, the association claims that there was no actual emergency, as New York City was not sending asylum seekers to Mount Pleasant.
The lawsuit asserts that this false emergency disrupted the association's ability to care for and educate undocumented children under its contract with the federal government. The Pleasantville Cottage School, operated by the association, serves as a residential treatment center.
This legal action is part of an ongoing conflict between the town and the school. The town called last July for the closure of the campus, citing failures to enhance security and supervision of residents, which allegedly strained the town's emergency services.
News 12 has reached out to Fulgenzi for comment on the lawsuit but has not received a response.