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Plans to house migrants at Atlantic City Airport met with bitter opposition from N.J. lawmakers

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Published  September 1, 2023 5:29pm EDT
Atlantic County
FOX 29 Philadelphia

NJ lawmakers oppose plans to house migrants at AC Airport

Lawmakers from both sides are opposing a plan to move migrants from New York City to house them at the Atlantic City International Airport in Egg Harbor Township.

EGG HARBOR TWP. N.J. - Lawmakers from both sides are opposing a plan to move migrants from New York City to house them at the Atlantic City International Airport in Egg Harbor Township.

"They say we’re a sanctuary state. People think they can come, but they can’t come, because there’s nowhere to put them," Egg Harbor Township Mayor Laura Pfrommer said.

A new report from Bloomberg cites President Biden has picked the Atlantic City Airport, in Egg Harbor Township, as one of 11 potential sites to temporarily house up to 60,000 migrants.

The news has brought together rare bi-partisan support I South Jersey as the Atlantic City mayor, Egg Harbor mayor and several other elected officials joined forces Friday to oppose the potential move.

"I was livid," Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr. stated. "Y’all who didn’t know me know I like a good fight, whether it’s the president of my own party or whomever."

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There were no specific plans on where or how the migrants would be housed at the airport, but Egg Harbor Township Mayor Pfrommer is completely against the idea and believes it’s dangerous.

"Egg Harbor Township does not have the capacity to take care of this. We don’t have the schoolroom, we don’t have the roads, we don’t have the infrastructure, we don’t have a social services program that can handle this," Pfrommer said.

Every single politician that spoke remarked on the reality of the situation and offered their compassion, but insist the issue is not for Atlantic County and the surrounding areas to bear.

"Saying you have compassion for these migrants, can you explain what part of that is compassionate about rejecting every single one of them? Can you offer another plan, another solution?" FOX 29’s Marcus Espinoza asked.

"The compassion is for people. For these migrants being used the way they are. The children sometimes die in this process, young kids sent over by themselves," answered Representative Jeff Van Drew.