Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced Tuesday that refugees are welcome in this county. His statement is in response to President Trump's Executive Order 13888, which would give state and local officials the authority to receive refugees in their jurisdictions, with limited exceptions.

"I'm proud that the city of Buffalo and Erie County has been a community that for decades — for that matter, a century — has stood with our partners across the United States to tell refugees, 'You are welcome here. We want you to build a life here. You will succeed here,’" Poloncarz (D) said.

President Trump issued the executive order on September 26. It requires governors and leaders of local communities to sign letters indicating that they still want their communities to receive refugees. Poloncarz has publicly announced a letter to the U.S. secretary of state stating Erie County's intention to consent to initial refugee resettlement.

"The city of Buffalo is called the City of Good Neighbors. We don't call it the 'City of Good Neighbors depending on where you come from.' It's just the City of Good Neighbors," said Poloncarz.

"To treat others as I would have them treat me. To act as if we are only as well off as the least well off among us and that we are all equal. I'm so proud to live in a community whose leaders and whose residents understand this," said Eva Hassett, International Institute of Buffalo executive director.

According to Poloncarz, Erie County has welcomed more than 11,000 refugees since 2010. 

Mayor Byron Brown submitted a letter of consent on behalf of Buffalo to assure refugee communities that he supports continued resettlement.