New York City Democrat Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday the Roosevelt Hotel, notorious for being turned into a shelter for migrants, will be shut down over the next few months.
In a statement, the mayor said “Today marks another milestone in demonstrating the immense progress we have achieved in turning the corner on an unprecedented international humanitarian effort,” Fox News reported.
“Now, thanks to the sound policy decisions of our team, we are able to announce the closure of this site and help even more asylum seekers take the next steps in their journeys as they envision an even brighter future, while simultaneously saving taxpayers millions of dollars,” he exclaimed.
Today, we announced we will begin the process of closing down The Roosevelt Hotel’s Asylum Arrival Center and Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) February 24, 2025
Here’s what to know: pic.twitter.com/l1NKtCNElC
Adams added while the city is still caring for about 45,000 migrants, that is “down from a high of 69,000 in January of 2024 and out of the more than 232,000 that have arrived in New York City seeking city services since the spring of 2022.”
The 1,000-room hotel became a shelter in 2023 and has seen more than 173,000 migrants cycle through its doors, the city says. It will reportedly be closed to migrants by June.
FLASHBACK/American military officers at the Roosevelt Hotel in the Midtown Manhattan neighbourhood of New York City, New York, circa 1942. (European/FPG/Archive Photos/Getty Images)
“The site has provided a variety of supportive services to migrants, including legal assistance, medical care, and reconnection services, as well as served as a humanitarian relief center for families with children,” the city said “In recent months, the average number of registrants has decreased to approximately 350 per week. Going forward, these intake functions and supportive services will now be integrated into other areas of the system.”
The services provided by the Roosevelt Hotel will be meted out to other facilities and the hotel is one of 53 shelters to be shuttered by June, the Adams administration says.
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