Police: Home Depot customers allege ‘harassment’ from migrants looking for work in Newburgh
The parking lot is owned by Home Depot, according to Town of Newburgh police, who say the company has declined to press charges each time officers are called.
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Police in the Town of Newburgh say they are fielding complaints from Home Depot customers about migrants allegedly harassing them while soliciting for day work outside of the home improvement store.
Authorities say they’ve received “many calls” for “harassment” and “solicitors” to the store on Route 300.
The parking lot is owned by Home Depot, according to Town of Newburgh police, who say the company has declined to press charges each time officers are called.
Dozens of migrants have been housed by New York City at area hotels since last May during the immigration crisis.
Orange County filed five lawsuits, which are still pending, against the city to stop officials from sending houseless migrants to county hotels and a judge temporarily blocked any additional asylum-seekers from being sent. The county is among 30 counties in New York being sued by New York City over their migrant orders.
The issue is divisive among county lawmakers.
"This is why we and other counties challenged New York City sending homeless throughout New York. With no ability to work legally and status/personal information unknown it creates a nightmare, and I am hearing these stories from all over New York State," says Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus.
Legislators Kevindaryan Lujan and Genesis Ramos were among supporters welcoming asylum seekers last year.
“People calling police on others trying to better themselves through honest work is really the story,” says Lujan. “We should want to make sure people can better themselves and that’s what they’re trying to do.”
"Migrants often face xenophobic rhetoric that unfairly demonizes them, despite their significant contributions to our economy and communities - a fact that has been proven through research and data," says Ramos. "The concept of day laborers is not new, and many people have benefited from this form of labor. The presence of migrants in front of Home Depot is a symptom of the systemic failure of our immigration policies. We must demand more from our federal elected officials and urge them to stop pandering to party politics and instead create real solutions to this constantly evolving issue that we simply cannot ignore."
News 12 reached out to Home Depot and Town of Newburgh Supervisor Gil Piaquadio for comment but hasn’t heard back.
