Albany saw the arrival of its first new group of asylum seekers Sunday night, when dozens made their way from New York City, the mayor said.

“The City of Albany — a proud sanctuary city — welcomed its first bus of approximately 40 asylum seekers in search of freedom and a safe place to live last evening,” Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said in a statement on Monday.

The city suggested several hotels for the migrants to stay, and New York City decided to contract with the Ramada Inn on Watervliet Avenue Extension in Albany, Sheehan said.

The relocation of migrants from New York City into communities in the Hudson Valley and beyond has set off legal and political battles, with some municipalities declaring emergency orders and obtaining court orders to stop the migrants from arriving.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has said the city has reached a breaking point with the number of asylum seekers it can accommodate and needs to send migrants to other communities for shelter. The city has pledged to fund the stays of migrants sent from there.

Sheehan said she supports a 30-day employment authorization for those who have filed for asylum, rather than the current 180-day process.

"When I speak with business leaders throughout the City, County, and Capital Region, it is clear there are job opportunities for asylum seekers in various industries, including hospitality, health care, and food service — we just need to make it easier for asylum seekers to fill these long-vacant jobs," she said.