New York City officials are facing the potential closure of a migrant shelter at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, which currently houses around 2,000 asylum-seekers. This plan is a reaction to concerns about the incoming Trump administration, which could pose a threat to the operation of the shelter located on federal land leased to the city. According to a report by ABC7NY, city officials are considering "all scenarios" in anticipation of President-elect Trump's policies.
The Adams administration has been gradually reducing the number of migrants in city shelters by issuing 30 and 60-day notices. With President-elect Trump's history of tight immigration enforcement, there is a concern that the shelter could become a target for federal immigration officers. As per the New York Times, the city is scrambling to find alternate housing for the families currently residing at the facility ahead of Trump taking office.
Mayor Eric Adams, described as a conservative Democrat, secured the lease with the Biden administration last year amid a search for accommodations due to a surge in migrants at the southern border. Now, the state government, funding the operations at a cost of about $250 million a year, is being asked by the city to assure the same financial assistance for housing the migrants elsewhere before any official closure announcement is made.
Kayla Mamelak, a spokeswoman for the mayor, did not directly comment on the potential closure but assured a careful evaluation of all shelters. "We continue to look closely at all of our shelters and will make all determinations based on what’s best for our city and those in our care," Mamelak stated to the New York Times. Meanwhile, Trump’s transition team has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the future of the shelter. With over 57,000 migrants still housed in various city shelters, the situation remains a significant concern for the administration.
The shelter's location on federal property is particularly troubling for city officials, since it might give federal immigration authorities greater leeway in enforcement actions. "There’s a concern that any large congregation of noncitizens just makes that group more at risk, just sort of a bit like sitting ducks, unfortunately," Kathryn Kliff, a lawyer at the Legal Aid Society, told the New York Times. Kliff's concerns have been communicated to city officials, though their plans post-inauguration have not been made clear.
On the political front, Representative Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican, expresses strong opposition to the shelter's continuation, indicating that taxpayer responsibilities need to be addressed. "How much longer are we supposed to bear the brunt of this costly burden that’s been placed on taxpayers’ shoulders?" Malliotakis told New York Times. Her stance represents the mounting pressure from Republican lawmakers to end the lease, which can be terminated with a 90-day notice from either the city or the federal government.
.jpg){kind=link}