Secret flights shuttling in undocumented immigrants are regularly landing in the middle of the night at Stewart International Airport in New Windsor, New York State gubernatorial candidate and former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino announced.
The flights, which reportedly arrive in the middle of the night from El Paso, Texas and other areas from the southern border, have been incoming for several months. However, Astorino says they are now increasing in frequency and have become a regular occurrence. Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki previously confirmed these flights are occurring.
The migrant flights began flying into Westchester County Airport last summer, but Stewart Airport was only being used as an overflow. The flights were allegedly suspended shortly thereafter but resumed in April 2022. The amount of flights to Westchester Airport have increased over the last two months and Stewart Airport began picking up the slack, Astorino explained. Between the two airports, flights are now reportedly landing on a near-daily basis and contain approximately 100 to 150 undocumented migrants per aircraft. The migrants are then loaded onto shuttle buses and sent to undisclosed locations.
A video provided by Astorino (below) shows dozens of men lined up at Stewart Airport carrying matching black bags waiting to board a shuttle bus.
Astorino is angry with the Biden Administration for prompting the flights and criticized New York State Governor Kathy Hochul for not stopping them. “Kathy Hochul does nothing and we the citizens pay all the bills,” Astorino said. “Kathy Hochul isn’t picking up any tab. She’s sticking taxpayers with the bill yet again.”
New York State Assemblyman Colin Schmitt penned a letter to Hochul expressing his concern. “First, the relocation of migrants who have illegally entered our country to the Hudson Valley is unacceptable and it is further evidence of the Biden Administration’s failed policy,” he stated. “Second, the extraordinary efforts being taken to conceal these flights from both the public and local government officials cannot continue.”
During her tenure as governor, Hochul has strongly supported undocumented immigrants moving to New York while also advocating for their rights.
During a June 3, 2022 press conference, Hochul encouraged undocumented immigrants over the age of 65 to come to New York State to get their health problems taken care of. “We’ll pick up that tab regardless of your status,” she vowed.
On October 9, 2021, Hochul signed legislation making it illegal to threaten to report an undocumented immigrant for the purpose of extorting or coercing them. The bill allows prosecutors to criminally charge a person for blackmailing immigrants by threatening to cause deportation proceedings.
“New York is built on the hard work and determination of generations of immigrants, and we need to support people who are trying to build better lives for themselves and their families,” Hochul stated.
