Malliotakis Joins Bipartisan Lawsuit to Stop Migrant Shelters at Floyd Bennett Field & Other Federal Parks
Hosts House Natural Resources Committee on Tour of Migrant Facilities
(NEW YORK, NY) – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) announced she’s joined Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Queens), Assemblywoman Jaime Williams (D-Brooklyn) and a bipartisan group of elected officials in filing a lawsuit to block New York City from using Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field or any other park that’s part of the Gateway National Recreation Area (which includes all of Staten Island’s federal parks) to house migrants. The lawsuit was filed in Staten Island Supreme Court along with eleven other members of the City Council and State Assembly and 24 Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island residents.
“Turning our federal parks into encampments for unvetted migrants from all over the world is unfair to surrounding communities and the taxpayers being forced to foot the bill,” Malliotakis said. “We are using every legal and legislative tool at our disposal to stop the Biden, Hochul and Adams Administrations from taking more open space from our citizens. Yesterday, Councilwoman Ariola, Assemblymember Williams and I hosted the House Natural Resources Committee so they could tour our parks and see this grave misuse of federal land firsthand. I appreciate Chairman Westerman and my Republican colleagues making the trip yesterday and look forward to working with them to advance my legislation to prohibit the parkland our citizens funded from being taken away from them.”
Chairman Bruce Westerman, New York City Councilwoman Joann Ariola and Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis touring Floyd Bennett Field. Image Credit – Rep. Malliotakis
Malliotakis hosted members of the House Committee on Natural Resources on a tour of migrant shelters across New York City, including the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan and Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field. Despite requesting access to the Roosevelt Hotel days in advance, the members were denied entry and told no one was allowed inside, even though a Democrat delegation was given a full tour on Friday, September 15. The tour was a followup to legislation Malliotakis introduced to prevent migrant housing on
military bases or
federal park land, including Brooklyn’s Fort Hamilton and Staten Island’s Fort Wadsworth, something the House Natural Resources Committee intends to advance.
“One of America’s best ideas is now being threatened by one of the Biden administration’s worst ideas,” House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman said. “Our open border is a problem for Americans across the country, and it’s deeply troubling to learn that New York City is considering housing these migrants on national park lands, causing unfathomable destruction to these historic sites, particularly in a city of 8.5 million people where public green spaces like these often provide the only available opportunity for fresh air and recreation. When we tried to visit the facility this morning where migrants are currently housed, city officials denied us entry despite us requesting a tour well in advance. Yet when Democrat members visited the same facility three days ago, they were welcomed with open arms. The hypocrisy here is staggering – clearly the Biden administration would rather put a positive spin on their crisis than engage in any meaningful oversight. What we saw today put into perspective just how horrible the real-world impacts of Biden’s failed border policies are coupled with a decades-long mess in the making that NYC has created with progressive policies. It’s time to take steps now to secure our border, and it’s time for Biden to solve his own problems without placing the burden on the National Park Service and American families.”
Chairman Bruce Westerman, New York City Councilwoman Joann Ariola and Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis touring Floyd Bennett Field. Image Credit – Rep. Malliotakis
Banner Image: Chairman Bruce Westerman, New York City Councilwoman Joann Ariola and Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis touring Floyd Bennett Field. Image Credit – Rep. Malliotakis
Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis was sworn in on January 3, 2021 to represent Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn.
Prior to serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis was elected to the New York State Assembly on November 2, 2010, defeating a two-term incumbent. In the Assembly, she served as Minority Whip and the ranking minority member of the Assembly Committee on Governmental Employees. For five terms, Congresswoman Malliotakis fought to restore ethics in Albany, expand transit service in her district, improve programs for senior citizens, reform education and improve New York’s economic climate by reducing the tax burden on small businesses and residents. A cornerstone of her tenure was helping her community recover and rebuild following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
In addition to advocating for these same issues in Washington, Congresswoman Malliotakis is acutely focused on securing New York’s fair share of federal mass transit funding, which would go towards expanding transportation services and easing traffic congestion, while also championing public safety by supporting our nation’s law enforcement officers.
Congresswoman Malliotakis is the daughter of immigrants, her father from Greece and her mother a Cuban exile of the Castro dictatorship. She is currently the only Republican member representing New York City in Congress, representing a district spanning the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island. She is a passionate advocate for animal rights and the strengthening of animal cruelty laws, and in her spare time, enjoys spending time with her chihuahua, Peanut.
There are no comments yet
Why not be the first