Conservatives in New York are celebrating a huge victory after a judge ruled that the former St. John Villa Academy, which is currently being used to house hundreds of migrants, must be vacated. Republican lawmakers had filed a lawsuit against New York City in response to the decision to use the school as a shelter and placed a temporary restraining order on them from doing so.
This ruling is seen as an affirmation of their concerns regarding safety in the area due to it’s proximity to other schools.
“It is refreshing to know that there are jurists in our system, like Judge Ozzi, who understand our concerns with having migrant shelters placed within residential areas,” said Borough President Vito Fossella in statement following the ruling.
Victory! The Honorable Judge Wayne Ozzi ruled favorably in a court decision this morning holding that NYC has violated the law by improperly placing foreign migrants in St. John Villa High School in Arrochar, Staten Island. pic.twitter.com/1BRtl2Kkw3
— Senator Andrew Lanza (@senatorlanza) September 26, 2023
Judge Wayne Ozzi delivered his ruling with understanding of the community’s concerns regarding having migrant shelters positioned within residential areas. In his ruling he stated that “if there were a right to shelter embedded in the State Constitution, all county and local municipalities upstate would be compelled to provide shelter to any and all migrant asylum seekers within their borders.”
He further clarified that if such a right did exist it would have statewide implications rather than just New York City being impacted by them.
In response to protests by locals over using St John Villa Academy for migrants, Mayor Eric Adams released a statement assuring them that they were taking measures needed to ensure that the site was well-managed.
Adams also purchased the academy after it closed down in 2018 but despite promises made about making it into another school again, officials went ahead with plans for 300 migrants moving into the site according WABC reported.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis tweeted her disapproval addressing Adams directly saying “accept that this shelter violated the law and give Staten Island students the 1,000 seat school they were promised and deserve.”
