Title 42, enacted during the COVID-19 Pandemic, allowed the U.S. government to turn away migrants at the border, including asylum-seekers.

Hochul’s executive order will provide the State with greater flexibility to procure the resources necessary for municipalities to support asylum seekers while also allowing the State to mobilize 500 members of the National Guard service who are providing logistical and operational support.

It will also allow the State and localities to quickly purchase necessary supplies and resources, including food and equipment.

The order will also prevent hotels, hospitals and other facilities providing care for migrants from being considered their landlord, which means the state’s current tenant protections wouldn’t apply.

Governor Hochul said in a release that she has consistently pushed for additional federal support, specifically regarding funding and shortened waiting periods before asylum seekers can legally work.

She added that her administration has raised this issue directly with President Biden, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and other top advisors.

Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas stated that following guidance from public health experts, the Department of Homeland Security will allow non-essential travelers who have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and have appropriate paperwork to enter the United States via land and ferry ports of entry.

This comes nearly two months after the Canadian government opened their side of the border to vaccinated U.S. travelers. The border first closed to non-essential travel on March 20, 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID between the two countries.

Both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand who have long advocated for the reopening of the border with Canada applauded the news. Governor Kathy Hochul also issued a statement saying, “From Western New York to the North Country, I look forward to welcoming our Canadian neighbors back to New York as we continue to rebuild and recover from this pandemic.”