New York City closes Roosevelt Hotel amidst migrant crisis
- The Roosevelt Hotel has been serving as a primary migrant shelter and intake center for nearly two years.
- Mayor Eric Adams announced the closure of the hotel, citing a significant decline in migrant registrations and the need to save taxpayer money.
- This closure is part of a larger plan to shut down 53 migrant shelters across the city by June.
In February 2025, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the impending closure of the Roosevelt Hotel, which has served as a migrant shelter and intake center for nearly two years. Originally opened in May 2023, the hotel became a primary site for asylum seekers arriving in the city. This decision follows a significant decrease in the number of new arrivals, with an average of only about 350 migrants per week seeking services, down from the 4,000 weekly registrations seen during the height of the migrant crisis. The closure represents a broader trend in the city’s efforts to phase out emergency shelters, with plans to shut down 53 other sites by June 2025. Mayor Adams stated that the closure would save taxpayers millions of dollars while still providing support to asylum seekers through other city services. This change signifies what Adams describes as a major milestone in the city’s management of the ongoing humanitarian efforts, implying that the city is moving toward a more stabilized situation regarding migrant accommodations. The Roosevelt Hotel has been noted not only for housing migrants but also for concerns related to safety and criminal activity. The federal government previously seized $80 million in funds intended for FEMA relief over these safety issues. The hotel had become a focal point for criticism from both Elon Musk and the Trump administration, which highlighted incidents of crime and alleged organized gang activity tied to the facility. In this context, the hotel symbolized the challenges the city faced amidst fluctuating immigration policies and shifts in public opinion regarding migrant accommodation. The lawsuit filed by New York City over the seized FEMA funds has taken center stage, indicating the tensions between local and federal authorities regarding assistance for migrants. The narrative around the Roosevelt Hotel has shifted from a refuge for newcomers to a controversial site, layered with various socio-political implications. Ultimately, the decision to close the hotel reflects not only the decline in recent migrant registrations but also a significant change in the city’s strategy in addressing the ongoing migrant challenge in New York City.