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Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) on Sunday accused New York City of trying to stack voter rolls by trying to illegally register migrants housed at a Staten Island shelter to cast ballots in the upcoming elections.
Malliotakis, joined by four other Staten Island Republicans, claimed a city contract with a nonprofit hired to run the shelter includes a stipulation that voter registration forms are to be distributed to asylum seekers staying there — which they called both unlawful and underhanded.
“On page 50 of this contract, there is an entire section dedicated to voter registration,” the congresswoman said at a press conference near the former Island Shores Senior Residences, now a migrant shelter.
“We believe this is the smoking gun that proves what we’ve been saying all along — that the city intends to register non-citizens to vote.”
At issue is the city’s contract with the organization Homes for the Homeless to operate the shelter at the site of the shuttered nursing home on Father Capodanno Boulevard in Midland Beach.
The contract, which Malliotakis said was obtained via a state Freedom of Information Law request, includes a stipulation that the nonprofit, in accordance with the New York City charter, “shall provide and distribute voter registration forms to all persons,” with the forms to be made available in Spanish and Chinese.
Another portion of the document said the contractor “shall not inquire about a client or potential client’s immigration status,” unless it is relevant to the services in question.
It is unclear if the language is standard in city contracts for shelter and housing services.
Under city law, Big Apple voters must be US citizens, have been a New York City resident for at least 30 days and be at least 18 years of age before Election Day.
A measure passed overwhelmingly by the City Council in December 2021, opened the door for green card holders and other legal non-residents to qualify to vote in local elections — although not in state or national races — but was struck down by a Staten Island judge.
Supreme Court Judge Ralph Porzio issued a permanent injunction blocking the law in June 2022, but that ruling is being appealed by Mayor Eric Adams’ administration.
Malliotakis and the other GOP pols, three state legislators and a city council member, maintained the Homes for the Homeless contract was an attempt by City Hall to push the envelope.
“They are bringing to you voter registration of people who are here illegally, and as soon as they’re here for 30 days, how is it they’re entitled to vote?” State Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo told reporters.
“What’s the first thing they’re going to vote for? Better hotel rooms?” he quipped. “How do they even understand the American system of government?”
Fellow state Assemblyman Michael Tannousis agreed.
“We need New Yorkers to wake up and see what is happening,” he said. “Look what is happening to your community.”
The pols — with the group also including Assemblyman Mike Reilly and City Councilman David Carr — have fought efforts by Adams to house migrants on Staten Island.
“It’s about time that we wake up,” Reilly said. “Because right now there’s a light shining saying, ‘Come here, we’re going to give you everything for free.’
“That’s not what the formation of our country was about.”
New York City Board of Elections Deputy Director Vincent Ignizio told The Post that the Staten Island officials should reach out to the proper authorities if they have legit claims of voter fraud.
groups acting illegally by registering folks to vote whom are not eligible, she should make the appropriate referrals to the local DA, state [Board of Elections], attorney general and, if warranted, federal authorities,” Ignizio said.
Mayor Eric Adams’ administration slammed Malliotakis’ claim as “false and reckless.”
“These allegations are false and baseless. DHS is legally required to include language around voter registration in DHS shelter contracts and this guidance applies only to eligible clients who are citizens, and would clearly not apply to asylum seekers in shelter,” a Department of Social Services spokesperson said in a statement Sunday night.
“Instead of helping the City’s emergency response to this ongoing crisis, it is deeply troubling to see an elected representative actively working to spread misinformation and hurt the integrity of the efforts of countless city workers and frontline staff who have been working tirelessly to ensure the delivery of critical services for vulnerable asylum seekers. As our teams continue to provide vital case-management services to connect asylum seekers to supports to help them move out of shelter, we strongly caution against lending any credence to dangerous misrepresentations of the City’s response to this humanitarian crisis,” the DSS rep added
