New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is defending his city's ban on worship services in public schools, saying the U.S. Constitution clearly calls for separation of church and state.

"I've always thought that one of the great things about America is that we keep a separation between church and state," the mayor said at a press conference on Monday.

"And the more clear that separation is, the more those people who want to be able to practice their religion will have the opportunity to do so," he said.

Sunday was the last day that several dozen churches were allowed to hold worship services in public schools.

A federal court backed the city's ban, but now the evicted churches are asking a federal judge for a new injunction that would allow them to continue meeting in schools.

The churches argue they should be allowed the same access to those buildings as other groups.