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A mosque in the Bronx is housing at least 100 migrants at times, the imam told NY1 in a series of interviews. This marks the first house of worship that has confirmed it has undocumented immigrants staying there during the second Trump term.
During the first term of Donald Trump’s presidency, several churches were outspoken about their decisions to take in migrants who were afraid of deportation.
Over the last few months, NY1 has spoken with many houses of worship and most had been tight-lipped about their plans, as President Trump promised mass deportations of undocumented immigrants while undoing a memo that protected religious sanctuaries from some immigration enforcement.
Omar Niass said he is not concerned about his decision to house migrants.
“I hear the president say the mass deportations. But the president is a clear voice. What did he say? Criminal. Thank God my people, the people that I know, are not criminal,” he said.
Niass, who is from Senegal, says the people staying at his mosque are mainly from Africa.
“They don’t have nowhere to go,” he said. “I don’t want to see them homeless.”
NY1 recently observed a couple dozen people inside praying, but Niass said the number has been much higher, reaching up to 120.
In 2023, Niass also spoke with NY1 about his efforts to house migrants and cited similar numbers then.
Earlier in Trump’s second term, there were daily updates about ICE arrest totals. But those have stopped as the president has called for more funding for the agency.
“Honestly, if ICE comes back to knock on my door, for what? They have a warrant?,” he said when asked if he worries about the agency.
Some areas still require a judicial warrant for places considered private — protected by the 4th Amendment of the Constitution, according to legal experts NY1 has spoken with.
https://ny1.com/nyc/bronx/news/2025/03/20/bronx-mosque-confirms-it-is-housing-migrants
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