New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) announced this week that the city would not proceed with plans to place a new migrant shelter in Manhattan following public protests. The mayor’s decision came as the city continues to struggle with the influx of thousands of migrants, including the recent attack on New York Police Department (NYPD) officers in Times Square earlier this year.
Adams said that the city would not utilize a former luxury hotel in Harlem following public feedback. The mayor spoke before Manhattan residents and was greeted by dozens of protesters. The former hotel is 35 stories tall and was being prepared for us.
The mayor said that the city was “not moving folks into a brand new building when you have long-term needs in a community. That’s not gonna happen,'”
Migrants will ‘never leave NYC’s care’: Critics fear as lefty pols renew push for unlimited shelter stays https://t.co/DAdylTcd4X pic.twitter.com/diYvSS1M9r
— New York Post (@nypost) February 17, 2024
“You will not have migrants and asylum seekers in that property,” he said.
There have been two violent incidents caused by migrants in Times Square in recent weeks. In one case, a tourist was shot by a migrant minor.
In a high-profile case, a group of migrants attacked several NYPD officers outside a shelter near Times Square. The initial decision by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) to not hold the suspects on bail received considerable criticism, including after several of the suspects allegedly fled to California.
The migrants are currently held pending trial.
Furthermore, New York has taken in more than 170,000 migrants over the last two years. The city announced major budget cuts last year to help pay for the billions of dollars it has spent or plans to spend on caring for the migrants.
In particular, many critics point to the Biden administration’s decision last year to end the Title 42 asylum program started under former President Donald Trump. The number of illegal immigrants attempting to enter the country reached an all-time high last year, with December 2023 seeing more than 300,000 migrant encounters by law enforcement.
