Mayor Eric Adams has announced the impending closure of the Asylum Seeker Arrival Center and Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center located at The Roosevelt Hotel, a significant development in New York City's handling of the asylum seeker situation which began nearly three years ago. This facility has played an essential role in assisting hundreds of thousands of migrants as they strive for self-sufficiency in the United States. Since opening its doors in May 2023, The Roosevelt Hotel has seen over 173,000 migrants registrations out of the more than 232,000 migrants who have sought the city's help since spring 2022 - figures according to the official announcement.
Recent trends have shown a decrease in new arrivals, dwindling to approximately 350 a week; this dip has signaled a shift in policy for the administration, which has managed to reduce the number of migrants in the city's care from a high of 69,000 in January 2024, to fewer than 45,000 at present time and they are therefore consolidating services by integrating these supportive measures into other areas within the system. Mayor Adams hailed this progress, stating, “Our administration has skillfully managed this crisis, which has seen over 232,000 migrants enter our city asking for shelter, and The Roosevelt Hotel has been key in allowing us to effectively manage our operations, processing over 173,000 individuals through these doors. Now, thanks to the sound policy decisions of our team, we are able to announce the closure of this site and help even more asylum seekers take the next steps in their journeys as they envision an even brighter future, while simultaneously saving taxpayers millions of dollars. The fact that, within a span of year, we are closing 53 sites and shuttering all of our tent-based facilities shows both our continued progress and our ability, when faced with unprecedented challenges, to do what no other city can,” in a statement obtained by the city's press office.
Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Asylum Seeker Operations, Molly Schaeffer, indicated that while efforts at The Roosevelt Hotel are drawing to a close, the overall mission remains pressing and active. "Our work on this humanitarian relief center is far from over, and our teams and community partners remain committed to serving everyone who comes into our care; but today's announcement is a testament to the tremendous work that has been done to date as we remain steadfastly focused on our mission!" she told the press office.
The efforts of Mayor Adams and his administration have also spanned beyond accommodation, with measures in place to support work authorization which has resulted in over 84 percent of eligible adults either having or having applied for it; these efforts are part of a broader strategy to ease migrants into self-sufficiency, with more than 188,000 migrants who sought the city's services taking the next steps in their journeys in the last three years and the city has also facilitated the purchase of over 53,200 tickets to help migrants reach their destinations, alongside conducting over 873,000 case management sessions to identify pathways out of city shelter for migrants.
