BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Town of Cheektowaga received a temporary restraining order to prevent more asylum seekers from taking shelter in the town, Supervisor Diane Benczkowski confirmed Friday.
The town will reappear in court on Monday to extend the order. Erie County has already said it will not accept any more migrants in the immediate term, having made the request in light of two separate sexual assault cases involving asylum seekers housed temporarily in Cheektowaga hotels.
Benczkowski signaled the restraining order was being considered at a Cheektowaga Town Board meeting Tuesday. The board unanimously voted to retain counsel to look into whether the hotels housing asylum seekers were violating the town code, as the occupants have resided there for 60 days.
Following Cheektowaga board meeting, questions remain about where asylum seekers will go next
“I don’t have a problem of taking a stand on what is right for my residents,” Benczkowski said Tuesday. “It doesn’t matter what party you belong to, you have to be bipartisan.”
One facility at issue, a hotel on Dingens Street, is set to be closed, with the migrants being transferred out to different facilities. Benczkowski said Tuesday the county confirmed the asylum seekers would be moved from the hotel, but it was not clear where they would be going next.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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Justin McMullen is a Western New York native who joined the News 4 team in 2023. You can read more of his work here.