Staten Island officials recently expressed their strong opposition to New York City’s plan to open a migrant shelter in a local church. Borough President Vito Fossella, Councilwoman Kamillah Hanks, and Councilman David Carr held a press conference to voice their concerns about the proposal to house single adult men in the Faith United Methodist Church.
Fossella criticized the city for providing short notice about the plan, stating that the community was blindsided by the decision. He emphasized that the residents of Staten Island are dedicated to improving their neighborhoods and questioned the logic of placing a migrant shelter in the middle of their community. Hanks echoed Fossella’s sentiments, emphasizing the importance of transparency and community input in such decisions.
Councilman Carr highlighted the challenges of converting the church into a shelter and emphasized that Staten Island is not obligated to provide housing for migrants. He expressed his opposition to migrant shelters in any neighborhood, not just his own.
Fossella has been a vocal critic of New York City’s approach to the migrant crisis, arguing that the city’s “right to shelter” policy is unsustainable. He believes that the city should not be obligated to accommodate migrants with housing, food, and other amenities.
Staten Island residents have protested against the city’s efforts to establish migrant shelters in their neighborhoods. In September, a judge ruled that a school being used to house migrants had to be vacated, following community backlash.
Despite the strong opposition from local officials and residents, the city has not yet responded to their concerns. Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor’s office for comment on the situation.
Overall, the controversy over the plan to house migrants in the Staten Island church reflects broader tensions around immigration policy and community engagement. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how the city will address the concerns raised by local leaders and residents.