Polistina slams Biden for proposal to relocate migrants to Atlantic County

The Biden administration has added Atlantic County to the shortlist of sites where some of the 60,000 asylum seekers who recently arrived in New York could be housed, a decision that could damper the hopes of South Jersey Democrats eying potential legislative seats this year.

Atlantic City International Airport, in Egg Harbor Township, was one of eleven locations the Department of Homeland Security identified as possible locations to house the migrants after New York officials criticized President Joe Biden for not solving an overcrowding issue.

State Sen. Vincent Polistina (R-Egg Harbor Township) sharply criticized the idea.

“My message to President Biden and NYC Mayor Adams is ‘hell no!, Polistina said. “Atlantic County residents shouldn’t be forced to pay the price for the Biden Administration’s disastrous handling of our border and the outrageous ‘Sanctuary’ state and city policies of Democrats in Washington, New York, Trenton and across the country.”

Polistina wants Gov. Phil Murphy and U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker to oppose the Biden administration’s attempt to “ dump unvetted migrants at Atlantic City Airport, and spreading a humanitarian crisis they created to our backyard.”

In an bid to expand their playing field, South Jersey Democrats swapped out their challenger to Polistina earlier this month, adding Atlantic County Commissioner Caren Fitzpatrick as the Senate nominee.

Fitzpatrick and her running mates, Alphonso Harrell and Lisa Bender, also criticized the Biden plan.

“We are absolutely opposed to the Biden Administration considering Atlantic City International Airport as a possible location for moving migrants from New York City,” the three 2nd district Democrats said. “The delicate balance we are currently striking in Atlantic County as we work to reinvent our economic path forward after years of lost jobs and shuttered businesses requires thoughtful planning, and this is not the best use of vital infrastructure in our region. A disruptive incursion of this type would negatively impact our region and residents.”

Three Republicans in the 8th district – State Senate candidate Latham Tiver and Assemblymen Michael Torrissi, Jr. (R-Hammonton) and Brandon Umba (R-Medford) – called the plan “insane and unacceptable.”

“We oppose any efforts to transport and house unvetted migrants to Atlantic County and will do everything in our power to stop it,” they said.

This story was updated at 10:47 a.m. on August 31. It was updated again at 12:21 p.m. to clarify that Atlantic City International Airport is not in Atlantic City proper.

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