NYC Cancels Roosevelt Lodge Migrant Shelter Deal After Backlash
New York Metropolis has formally terminated a $220 million settlement with Pakistan’s government-owned Roosevelt Lodge, which had been working as a shelter for migrants. The choice comes after vital stress from former U.S. President Donald Trump and his MAGA (Make America Nice Once more) supporters, who’ve been vocal in opposition to utilizing taxpayer funds to accommodate undocumented immigrants.
The Roosevelt Lodge, a historic Manhattan property owned by Pakistan Worldwide Airways (PIA), had been functioning as an asylum arrival heart and humanitarian emergency shelter for migrants since Might 2023. With 1,025 rooms rented at $200 per evening, the association was a part of Mayor Eric Adams’ technique to handle the overwhelming inflow of asylum seekers into New York.
Nonetheless, the deal shortly grew to become controversial as pictures of migrants tenting exterior the resort surfaced, triggering protests. Trump and different conservative figures criticized the Democratic management for accommodating unlawful immigrants in luxurious resorts utilizing public funds.
Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the cancellation of the deal in a social media publish, stating:
Our administration has skillfully managed this disaster, with over 232,000 migrants coming to our metropolis searching for shelter within the final three years.
The Roosevelt Lodge was the place we processed 75% of those that got here into our care, and it was important to our efficient operations.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) February 24, 2025
Trump, a staunch critic of Biden’s immigration insurance policies, intensified his assaults on the administration over its dealing with of the migrant disaster. He accused the Biden administration of secretly spending $59 million on a luxurious resort to accommodate migrants.
MAGA chief Vivek Ramaswamy additional condemned the deal, highlighting the involvement of a overseas authorities:
“A taxpayer-funded resort for unlawful migrants is owned by the Pakistani authorities which implies NYC taxpayers are successfully paying a overseas authorities to accommodate illegals in our personal nation. That is nuts.”
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) December 1, 2024
Trump-aligned figures, together with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, additionally weighed in on the controversy. Musk alleged that the town had been paying twice the usual fee for rooms, exacerbating public frustration over mismanagement of taxpayer funds.
Amid the mounting stress, Trump’s affect led to the freezing of $80 million in FEMA funds allotted for NYC’s migrant help system. This monetary setback additional pushed metropolis officers to reevaluate their agreements, in the end resulting in the Roosevelt Lodge deal’s termination.
With the closure of Roosevelt Lodge as a migrant shelter, NYC should now discover different housing options for the asylum seekers it has been accommodating. The transfer additionally indicators a **bigger shift in immigration
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