New York City Council District 30 Republican and Conservative candidate for city council, Alicia Vaichunas, has officially submitted testimony to the NYC Charter Revision Commission, urging the proposal to abolish the Sanctuary City Laws to be included as a referendum on this year’s general election ballot, allowing voters to directly decide the fate of this policy.
Vaichunas is a community leader and a lifelong resident of Maspeth, Queens. She emphasized that New Yorkers should have the right to decide on this controversial policy as it has directly contributed to the ongoing immigration crisis.
She stated, “The Sanctuary City Laws have made New York City less safe and burdened taxpayers with billions of dollars in financial costs.” She has submitted testimony to the Charter Revision Commission and will testify at the April hearing, urging the commission to include the abolishment of Sanctuary City Laws on the ballot. Last year, the commission failed to take action on this matter.
Vaichunas pointed out that New York City’s Sanctuary City policy, coupled with the “Right to Shelter,” has made the city a primary destination for illegal immigrants, putting unprecedented pressure on public resources and affecting the daily lives of residents.
The immigration crisis has led New York City to spend over 9 billion dollars, impacting various sectors such as public schools (extra burden on educational resources), public health and healthcare systems (surge in demand for free medical services), environment and sanitation (overcrowded shelters and detention centers), and public safety (strain on law enforcement resources).
She emphasized, “The Sanctuary City policy is a significant decision that affects all New Yorkers and should not be left to a few politicians to decide.” She added, “This policy should be determined by the New York City voters on whether it should continue.”
Vaichunas serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Councilman Holden and is running for city council in District 30 as a Republican candidate, endorsed by Councilman Holden. Additionally, she has received endorsements from former New York State Governor George Pataki, former mayoral candidate and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, Queens County Republican Party, Queens County Conservative Party, and the New York City Public Service Retirees organization.