St. John Villa Academy to be used as shelter for asylum seekers on Staten Island, sources say
NEW YORK -- As plans are in the works for New York City to use federal land in Brooklyn to house asylum seekers, sources tell CBS New York that a former private school on Staten Island will be the site of the next shelter.
City officials say there was a "significant surge" last week with over 600 people arriving each day. The information comes as a new poll finds most New York voters say the state has done enough and it's time to restrict migration.
Sources say the former St. John Villa Academy in Arrochar will be open by the end of the week to house asylum seekers.
In the last year, more than 101,0000 asylum seekers have come to New York; the city says more than half -- 58,000 -- are still in its care.
Within one week of opening, the tents on the property of Creedmoor Psychiatric Center are almost at capacity with 900 of 1,000 cots filled.
A new Siena College poll finds most New York voters -- 82% -- find the recent influx of asylum seekers is a serious problem with 46% saying asylum seekers resettling in New York over the last 20 or so years has been a "burden," not a "benefit" to the state.
"It's a burden. It may be a benefit for them but a burden for us," Queens resident Trevi Pershay said. "Before you bring people in, why don't you take care of what we have first?
According to the poll, 58% said New York has done enough and it's time to restrict migration, while 36% said the state should accept more and help them assimilate.
Watch Lisa Rozner's report
"It's just human nature. You want to help people. You want people to live a better life than their current state," Manhattan resident James Xie said.
"The hope would be that there's, just like we've always gained from having open doors to immigrants, you know, improvement in opportunities in our workforce, diversity, multicultural exposure," Riverdale resident Seth Resnick said.
The poll found that most voters disapprove of the job the president, the governor and the mayor are doing about the crisis. When it came to their local elected officials, however, they did approve of their efforts.
"We want to be true partners. We want to get the information to help facilitate," Brooklyn Councilwoman Alexa Aviles said.
Aviles toured the shelter at the Sunset Park Rec Center with the public advocate Tuesday.
"Ventilation is one of the big ones, but as I've said before, the city's now in a situation where they have to make the best of very bad decisions," Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said.
"Every single one of them has major issues that need to be addressed and mitigated. None of them are ideal," New York City Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol said. "New York City is carrying the burden of a national crisis."
Officials shared Tuesday that they are working with the feds to find space for 7,500 asylum seekers at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn.
Protesters turned out there Tuesday night.
"Where are they gonna stay? They're gonna stay in hangars, aviator hangars, and do what all day long? There's no plan," Rockaway resident Rose Digiovanni said.
"How they gonna get any place? They are isolated out here. They shouldn't be here," another protester said.
"We got nothing about immigrants. We're all immigrants in this country, but they should stay on line to come in this country," Rockaway resident John Mazzola said.
- Read more: New York City sees another surge in asylum seekers ahead of right-to-shelter court battle
Mayor Eric Adams sat down with CBS News before he travelled to Israel.
"This is a sign of a crisis, a greatest, I believe, humanitarian crisis the city has ever witnessed," he said.
He wants the Biden administration to step in and grant asylum seekers the right to work.
"The precursor to sleep, to enjoy the American dream, is the right to work, the right to work. Let them work," Adams said.
While the mayor maintains he needs help from President Joe Biden, he tells CBS News they haven't spoken in over a year.
