Staten Island borough president blasts idea of turning Fort Wadsworth into asylum seeker shelter

NEW YORK -- Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella is speaking out against the potential conversion of the Fort Wadsworth site into an asylum seeker shelter.

According to Fossella's office, this comes after a recent assessment by the Department of Homeland Security and the city that indicated Fort Wadsworth as a potential site to relocate homeless migrants.

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Fossella said Tuesday a request will be made to New York's congressional delegation to introduce legislation.

"To compel the federal government to put tents on the National Mall before any other federal property is used to accommodate migrants. The federal government should solve it before forcing the people of Staten Island and others to solve their problem that they created," Fossella said.

Fort Wadsworth is used by the local community as national park and historic site, and is used by the U.S. Army Reserves and Coast Guard for training and housing.

In:
• Staten Island
• Asylum Seekers
• Migrants