Musk doubled down, writing, “They’ve run out of hotel rooms, are kicking kids out of school for illegal housing and now they want your homes too.”
That was in response to LibsofTiktok sharing a screenshot of an Aug. 9, 2023, article by Boston 25 News with the headline, “Governor Healey asks residents to house migrant families amid growing shelter crisis.” In Massachusetts, Gov. Maura Healey, who declared a state of emergency over the crisis, had asked residents to consider sponsoring migrant families by hosting them in their homes as the state's shelter system reached capacity, according to the outlet.
In a press release, New York City Council Minority Whip Inna Vernikov said earlier Tuesday that due to the incoming storm, “around 2,000 migrants from Floyd Bennett field will be transported to James Madison High School this evening and will be occupying its gymnasiums and auditorium overnight.”
“Our public schools are meant to be places of learning and growth for our children, and were never intended to be shelters or facilities for emergency housing,” Vernikov wrote. “There are approximately 4,000 students who attend Madison High School. Their parents are rightfully concerned. Our constituents who live in the vicinity are concerned for their safety and wellbeing. This will agitate local residents, disrupt the entire school environment, and place a tremendous burden on families, students, school administrators and staff.”
Vernikov demanded a “full stop” to using public schools as migrant shelters, saying the situation at Floyd Bennett Field was “both unacceptable and was entirely foreseeable” due to the site’s vulnerability to inclement weather.