Allegation of homeless veterans forced out of Orange County hotel for asylum seekers appears to be unfounded
NEW YORK -- An allegation that more than 20 homeless veterans were forced out of a hotel in Orange County for asylum seekers appears to be unfounded.
On Friday, several men staying at a homeless shelter told the Albany Times Union they were recruited to pose as veterans to help advance the story.
A group had claimed veterans were relocated from the Crossroads Inn in Newburgh.
The claim was shared by several Republican elected officials, including Assemblyman Brian Maher, who now say it wasn't true.
Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus referred to the claim in an interview last weekend. A spokesperson for Neuhaus sent the following statement:
The County Executive was commenting on information that Sharon Toney Finch of the YIT Foundation provided to him and what was reported and attributed to her in the New York Post and other media outlets. It still does not change the fact that the mayor of a sanctuary city who stands behind that designation is sending homeless asylum seekers to counties he has no authority over and who are not sanctuary counties.
There are calls for the Orange County District Attorney to investigate the foundation that made the allegation.