Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) bashed a New York City plan to house illegal immigrants at national park sites, saying it compromises “America’s best idea.”
In an appearance on Fox News, Westerman took aim at New York City’s announcement that it would house illegal immigrants in Floyd Bennett Field, a former airfield and national park that spans parts of New York City and New Jersey.
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“Currently, our National Parks have been called America’s best idea, but because of Joe Biden and the far Left’s worst idea, they’re being compromised, and we just can’t stand for that,” Westerman said. “My committee has jurisdiction service over the park service, and we can’t let this administration, let the city of New York, or anyone else start building migrant housing centers on our National Park Service property.”
Westerman said he thinks many Democrats believe this is a bad idea and that if the situation were reversed, Democrats would protest on environmental grounds.
“This is something that has been set aside for all Americans to enjoy, not for somebody to build migrant centers on,” he said about the national park. “And look at New York. There’s not a lot of green space here, not like my home state of Arkansas, and now you’re gonna compromise part of that to build migrant centers? We just can’t allow that to happen.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, announced last week that the city had entered into a lease agreement with the federal government allowing it to use Floyd Bennett Field as an emergency shelter site. He said Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) committed to reimbursing the city for the use of the site. However, he used the opportunity to take a swipe at Washington, D.C., and request further assistance.
“But let’s be clear: If the federal government were to issue an emergency declaration, additional federal space and funding would become available to better manage this crisis,” Adams said in a statement, obtained by CBS News. “Further, as I have said before, because we haven’t seen meaningful policy changes that would alter the course of this crisis, we’ve been forced to unsustainably open new site after new site as asylum seekers continue to arrive by the thousands.”
He continued, “This is not an adequate solution or any sort of long-term plan by the federal government to this national problem.”
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The House Committee of Natural Resources, of which Westerman is the chairman of, sent a letter of protest to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and National Park Service Director Charles Sams.
“Regardless of personal or political beliefs on immigration or migrant policy, there is common ground in keeping our national parks — some of America’s most treasured spaces — out of this debate,” the letter said. “All national parks, whether in rural or urban areas, exist for visitors to experience wonder, to recreate and find joy, or to simply learn more about the great history of our nation. National parks are not, however, a place to temporarily or permanently encamp persons experiencing a lack of housing options. The Governor of New York has gone on the record about the DOI’s reluctance to accommodate the request, due to statutory restraints. We agree that the use of NPS lands to house unsheltered migrants is outside of the NPS statutory authority.”
