Group opposes relaxing vaccination rules for child asylum seekers

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The start of school next week is causing new concerns about asylum seekers.

Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella led a group on Saturday that opposes relaxing vaccination rules for child immigrants.

The policy exception is meant to make it easier for newly arrived kids to enter the public school system, but Fossella says the move is a risky and hypocritical one.

"We think that if you're going to impose a standard on ordinary citizens, that same standard should be imposed on individuals who come from 120 different countries and want to show up on day one for school," Fossella said.

The group estimates there will be more than 20,000 migrant children entering school in the city this year.

ALSO READ | Questions over NYC's aging infrastructure reveal troubling answers following water main break

The water main break that broke in Midtown Tuesday was originally built in 1896. Dan Krauth has more on the investigation into repairing New York City's aging infrastructure.

----------

* More Staten Island news

* Send us a news tip

* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts

* Follow us on YouTube

Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News

Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.