Town of Salina officials on Wednesday launched an investigation into allegations that migrants were brought to Candlewood Suites, according to town officials and hotel management, but at this time find those claims unsubstantiated.
Housing migrants would violate a court restraining order keeping Salina hotels from housing people seeking asylum. Lawyers for Candlewood Suites have since filed court documents in state Supreme Court saying the hotel has not provided accommodations for asylum refugees.
"Town of Salina, in coordination with Onondaga County, investigated the alleged codes violations and possible violation of the temporary restraining order. Town of Salina can confidently say that these rumors cannot be confirmed, there is no evidence of the temporary restraining order being violated, and that there are no new codes violations at the hotel," Salina Town Supervisor Nicholas Paro said in a release Thursday afternoon.
People identified as enforcement officers and county social workers were on site at Candlewood on Wednesday, according to the court paperwork. The hotel’s lawyers cited that action as an unauthorized raid of its property, and are seeking to deny an injunction filed against them.
“I can assure you, if the hotel owners are found to be in violation of the temporary restraining order in place, and if there are any new code violations found, we will take whatever legal action we can to hold the bad actors to account," Paro said. "I am continually disappointed with the way this hotel’s ownership operates. The operators reside in New York City and seem to have little care for our community based on their previous business practices. Their previous actions and disregard for the laws within our town only raise greater suspicion when rumors like this begin to spread."
Salina Town Supervisor Nicholas Paro told Spectrum News 1 on Thursday that he is satisfied with where they are with the situation, saying they didn't find any code violations and "it doesn't seem" like the hotel is taking any new migrants that would be in violation of the restraining order.
Court proceedings regarding the restraining order will take place on June 26.