New York City’s Roosevelt Hotel migrant shelter will soon close amid Elon Musk’s outrage

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday (February 24) the closure of the Asylum Seeker Arrival Center and the Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center at The Roosevelt Hotel, marking a major shift in the city’s migrant response strategy. The decision, which comes nearly a year after the center opened at the height of the asylum crisis, signals a shift in the city’s approach as migrant arrivals have declined. However, the move has also drawn renewed attention to the ongoing dispute between Adams and the Trump administration over federal funding for migrant support.

Closing a key hub in NYC’s migrant response

Since opening in May 2023, The Roosevelt Hotel facility has served as a centralised intake center for asylum seekers, providing legal assistance, medical care, and other supportive services. Out of the 232,000 migrants who have entered the city’s care since 2022, more than 173,000 were registered at the site. But as weekly registrations have dropped to about 350, the city is now integrating these services into other areas of the system.

“While we’re not done caring for those who come into our care, today marks another milestone in demonstrating the immense progress we have achieved in turning the corner on an unprecedented international humanitarian effort,” Mayor Eric Adams said. He highlighted the administration’s success in managing the crisis while also noting that closing the facility will help save taxpayers millions of dollars.

Adams also emphasised that within a year, the city has closed 53 emergency sites and phased out all tent-based migrant shelters.

Federal funding battle with Trump Administration

The closure announcement comes just days after New York City sued the Trump administration, seeking to reclaim $80 million in FEMA funds meant to cover hotel costs for migrants. The lawsuit accuses the administration of withholding the funds without prior notice or explanation. The funds—originally approved under President Joe Biden—include a $59 million grant and an additional $21.5 million in support for the city's migrant response efforts.

Billionaire Elon Musk, a close Trump advisor and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), criticised the FEMA payments, calling them illegal. “The @DOGE team just discovered that FEMA sent $59M LAST WEEK to luxury hotels in New York City to house illegal migrants,” Musk wrote on X, arguing the funds violated federal law.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem defended the decision to revoke the payments, stating, “Mark my words: there will not be a single penny spent that goes against the interest and safety of the American people.” Noem accused “FEMA deep state activists” of improperly authorizing the funds before her department intervened to reclaim them.

Vivek Ramaswamy criticises NYC’s $220M deal to rent Pakistan-owned hotel for migrants

Vivek Ramaswamy, who is now running for Ohio Governor, has strongly criticised New York City’s reported $220-million deal to rent the Roosevelt Hotel, which is owned by Pakistan’s government, to house illegal migrants. He argued that the arrangement amounts to taxpayers funding a foreign government to accommodate migrants on US soil.

The Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, which had been closed since 2020 and required extensive renovations, is owned by the government of Pakistan. The deal is reportedly part of a broader $1.1 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) aimed at helping Pakistan avoid defaulting on its international debt.

Ramaswamy calls the deal ‘Nuts’

Expressing outrage, Ramaswamy took to X to question the allocation of funds, calling the situation “nuts.” He argued that NYC residents are essentially paying a foreign government to house illegal migrants, calling it an irresponsible use of taxpayer money.