FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 6, 2023
The following statement is from Assemblymember Michael Reilly (R,C-Staten Island) regarding a report that two houses of worship on Staten Island would be used as part of a plan from City Hall to provide temporary housing to illegal migrants:
“It was reported yesterday by the Staten Island Advance that two houses of worship on Staten Island had been selected as part of a new citywide initiative to provide temporary shelter amid an influx of migrants arriving in New York City from the U.S. southern border.
Following conversations with city officials today, I can confirm that the report is incorrect — while there is, in fact, a new citywide initiative to address the migrant crisis using houses of worship, no locations have been selected yet. This process is application based and, at this time, no applications have been received from houses of worship on Staten Island.
I understand the complexity of this situation, as do many of the constituents I speak with daily, but these decisions must be made in good faith by city officials. That means bringing all relevant stakeholders together to discuss the impact that these decisions may have on a community’s security and other vital services. And that’s only possible if we maintain an open line of communication, with government leaders working across the aisle, to mitigate impact and find solutions.”