Most New York state voters, according to a recent Siena College survey, disapprove of plans to temporarily house migrants in State University of New York (SUNY) dormitories.
The poll, conducted last week, revealed that 54% of respondents were against the proposal, compared to 33% in favor. The opposition was not solely from Republican and independent voters but also from Democrats, who were split evenly at 41% both for and against.
A significant majority of Republicans and self-described independents expressed strong opposition, with 77% and 55%, respectively, being against the proposal.
Steven Greenberg, a Siena College pollster, said, “Voters oppose using SUNY dorms to temporarily house new migrants to New York by a 21-point margin. It’s opposed by more than three-quarters of Republicans and a majority of independents, while Democrats are evenly divided.”
The survey also highlighted public sentiment towards Mayor Eric Adams’ migrant relocation plans outside New York City. Close to half of the respondents (46%) were against the plan, while only 40% supported it.
There was a notable divide based on geographic location, with 51% of New York City voters backing Adams’ plan, while 52% of voters from upstate and suburban areas were against it.
Mayor Adams has encountered resistance from local politicians, who have lodged lawsuits claiming their areas lack the necessary resources and sanctuary jurisdiction status to accommodate the migrants.
Despite the opposition, New York City currently provides housing for migrants in 175 emergency shelters, including hotels and substantial temporary facilities.
The Siena College poll was based on the responses of 817 registered voters, collected between June 20-25, with a margin of error of ±3.9 percentage points.
