CLOSING TIME: New York City to Close Migrant Shelters as Trump’s Inauguration Approaches

In a significant move, New York City, under the leadership of Mayor Eric Adams, is set to close 12 migrant shelters before the end of the year, coinciding with the impending inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. The closures include two hotels that were converted into migrant shelters: the Hotel Merit in Manhattan and the Quality Inn JFK in Queens. Additionally, 10 other facilities across various counties—Albany, Dutchess, Erie, Orange, and Westchester—are also slated for closure by December 31.

The city’s decision to shutter these shelters comes in light of a reported decrease in the number of migrants arriving in New York. Since the spring of 2022, the city has accommodated over 223,000 migrants and asylum seekers, a figure that Mayor Adams equated to roughly half the population of Albany. Currently, there are about 58,000 migrants still residing in taxpayer-funded shelters, with the city operating around 210 shelter sites throughout the five boroughs.

City taxpayers have been shouldering a hefty bill of $352 per night for each migrant, with only $130 of that amount going directly to the hotels for housing. The remainder covers social services, food, and cleaning costs, leading to projections that the ongoing crisis could cost taxpayers approximately $12 billion over the next three fiscal years without significant policy changes.

In a statement, the city attributed the closures to the declining number of migrants arriving, expressing gratitude to the federal government and the Biden-Harris administration for the reduction. In September, the number of encounters at the southern border fell to 101,790, the lowest since February 2021, with no major increases observed since then.

“Our staff is on hand to help guests plan for next steps as the city consolidates its operations,” a City Hall spokesperson stated.

Mayor Adams emphasized the city’s efforts, declaring, “Over the past two years, our teams have accomplished the Herculean task of providing compassionate care for a population twice the size of Albany and saving taxpayers billions of dollars.” He further noted, “We’ve focused on helping people take their next steps out of shelter and that focus is paying off. And with our census declining for the past 19 weeks in a row, it’s clear that our efforts are working. The new policies we’re implementing today will build on our successes, save taxpayers millions, and help even more migrants take their next steps towards fulfilling their American Dream.”

Despite these efforts, the city faced backlash from a group of approximately 50 left-wing activists who protested at City Hall during a hearing on shelter rules for adults. The activists, representing Jews For Racial & Economic Justice, chanted, “Immigrants are welcome here – Trumpian policy is not!” while displaying banners that read, “Mayor Adams: end shelter evictions,” “Let all New Yorkers stay,” and “Housing justice now.”

The group criticized the city’s eviction rule, labeling it “a cruel and destabilizing policy and is a direct violation of the city’s controversial decades-old right to shelter rule,” which was originally established to protect the homeless.

As the city prepares for the closures, concerns linger about a potential surge in migrant crossings before Trump’s inauguration, with reports of around 1,500 migrants forming a caravan in southern Mexico, eager to cross the border before the new administration takes office. Trump has vowed to implement stringent border security measures and deportation operations, signaling a significant shift in immigration policy.

As New York City navigates this complex situation, the implications of these closures and the evolving political landscape remain to be seen.