Staten Island GOP on migrant crisis: ‘This is a federal issue that requires a federal solution’

Staten Island elected officials are calling on the federal government to assist New York City with the recent humanitarian crisis brought on by the increasing number of migrants to the five boroughs.

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn) held a press conference on Thursday during which she and other Republican officials said that New York City is not currently equipped to accommodate the growing number of migrants arriving here, which they say the federal government is responsible for.

Mayor Eric Adams told the Daily News Monday nearly two thousand migrants entered the city this past weekend alone, bringing the total number of asylum seekers that have flowed to the five boroughs since April to nearly 20,000 — a likely undercount, the mayor’s office said.

Malliotakis noted that the city’s current temporary solutions, such as emergency tent shelters and utilizing hotels, as insufficient.

“It’s unsustainable to the taxpayer and unreasonable for our leaders to think an appropriate solution is to turn more hotels into shelters, more parks into tent cities, and add cruise ships to our ports. At what point do our leaders reach a breaking point and say enough is enough?” she said.

City Comptroller Brad Lander told Bloomberg News last week that the city could spend between $500 million and $1 billion to temporarily house the asylum seekers from Central and South America, based on short-term estimates.

HUNDREDS OF MIGRANTS SHELTERED IN TRAVIS HOTELS

New York City has been scrambling to accommodate the incoming migrants. Mayor Eric Adams has been criticized by community leaders and immigrant advocates for his solutions, such as emergency shelter camps in isolated and flood-prone areas – Orchard Beach in the Bronx and Randall’s Island – and hotels near residential neighborhoods.

Staten Islanders are feeling the impact with approximately 280 migrants who began arriving nearly two weeks ago. The city is using two hotels in the Travis neighborhood as temporary shelter for them. About 90% of each 93-room hotel is occupied, according to Malliotakis’ office.

Gene Guerra, president of the Travis Civic Association, emphasized that while Travis residents are compassionate and empathize with the [migrants], the neighborhood is not equipped to accommodate them.

“I want everybody to know that Travis is a big hearted community. Know that we welcomed these people, but as they began entering our hotels, they went around knocking on doors asking for donations, food, clothing. And whoever could give gave,” he said at the Thursday press conference. “Travis is simply not the area that these migrants should have been placed in.”

Guerra pointed out that the small neighborhood is primarily residential and does not have essentials migrants may need, such as medical care and grocery stores.

“I implore the Mayor to rethink what he’s done. If there’s any way that he could turn this around, take these folks and put them somewhere else, it would be so gratefully appreciated,” he added.

‘NEW YORK DOES NOT HAVE THE PROPER RESOURCES TO HELP’

State Assemblymember Michael Tannousis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn) pointed out that the federal government has not offered New York City the proper support and resources in this crisis.

“We are now facing an issue that is caused directly by our federal government. And I don’t see the federal government knocking on our door telling the city of New York, ‘Here you go, this is what you’re going to use to fix the situation.,” he said.

“It is a complete travesty. These are families and we understand they need help. But we do not have the capability to support them in New York right now,” Tannousis said.

The assemblyman also noted that he recently met with the city’s Department of Homeless Services (DHS), which he said has “became apparent very quickly that DHS is overwhelmed,” and struggling to shelter migrants on top of the current homeless crisis.

Molly Park, first deputy commissioner of DHS told community members at a Community Board 2 meeting on Tuesday that 14,000 asylum seekers have flooded into the city’s homeless shelter system since April, a 36% increase in that system’s population.

PROPOSED FEDERAL SOLUTIONS

Malliotakis and her colleagues blame the border crisis and influx of migrants on President Biden’s undoing of some of former President Donald Trump’s policies, such as the Migrant Protections Protocols (MPP). Also referred to as “Remain in Mexico,” the policy required asylum-seekers to stay in Mexico while awaiting hearings in U.S. Immigration Court.

After two years of legal challenge, the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed Biden’s authority to end MPP on June 30, 2022.

City Councilman David Carr (R-Mid Island) was among those calling for the reinstatement of MPP.

“And until the border crisis is resolved, we’re going to continue to face additional influx of individuals into New York City who are trying to take advantage of our city’s unfortunate sanctuary status,” said Carr.

However, on Wednesday, the Biden Administration implemented a new policy meant to create a clearer path for Venezuelans seeking to enter the country. The federal government will allow 24,000 Venezuelans, who already have sponsors into the United States, but will send others back to Mexico.

Malliotakis outlined some solutions that she believes the federal government should use. These include reinstating “Remain in Mexico” policy, adding more judges and asylum officers at the southern border to address backlog in immigration hearings and the Border Security for America Act.

Malliotakis said she believes addressing the border crisis is paramount.

“The governor, the mayor, and all local elected officials should join us in our calls to stop this crisis at its root,” she said.

EFFORTS TO ACTIVATE THE FEDS

New York officials at all levels of government have been sounding the alarm on the need for support and resources from the Biden administration.

Mayor Adams called for federal assistance in July.

In August he issued an emergency procurement declaration to allow the city to procure necessary resources immediately.

Last week, Adams declared a state of emergency for the city after his administration estimated the city will surpass the highest number of people in recorded history in its shelter system due to the asylum-seeker influx.

In August, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer and other New York elected officials sent a letter to Deanne Criswell, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), requesting “fair and due consideration” to expedite and approve New York City’s application to FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP).

Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella penned a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday, urging her to work with Biden to invoke federal assistance.

“I am respectfully calling upon you to use your authority to initiate the process for President Biden to make an emergency declaration concerning the thousands of asylum seekers arriving unexpectedly in New York City and to further call upon President Biden to authorize a FEMA or FEMA-like response to the situation in New York City,” wrote Fossella, who also spoke at the press conference on Thursday.