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NYC migrant crisis: Roosevelt Hotel reopens as shelter for asylum seekers

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Updated  May 19, 2023 5:50pm EDT
Immigration
FOX 5 NY

Migrants arriving at Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown

Migrants and asylum seekers have begun arriving at Manhattan's Roosevelt Hotel, some looking for shelter, others trying to get legal help. FOX 5 New York spoke with some of the migrants about their experiences so far.

NEW YORK CITY - New York City opened the Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown on Friday as a new intake center for asylum seekers and migrants after it closed down during the pandemic.

About 175 rooms will be made available to house migrant families with children.

The hotel will serve as a shelter and intake center. Families can receive medical and legal services and also be re-ticketed to other cities. 

New York continues to make plans to accept more migrants

The Roosevelt Hotel in New York will provide temporary housing for migrants as city officials look for additional spaces. FOX 5's Stephanie Bertini reports.

FOX 5 NY also learned around 80 migrants were bussed Thursday from New York City to the Knights Inn in Sullivan County. County officials said they are considering their legal options to stop Mayor Eric Adams from sending more migrants.

Migrants relocated from NYC school gyms

It comes after the city announced earlier this week they will be moving migrants out of public school gymnasiums following days of protests.

Officials insist they are not reversing course, rather the sites were always meant to be temporary. Sometimes migrants will stay there for 20 minutes, sometimes overnight, a spokesperson for city hall said.

Officials left the door open to possibly moving migrants back into school gyms if needed. They did not disclose how much it is costing the city to build and then dismantle the beds each time.

New York's migrant crisis continues

As pressure from parents mounts, New York City official say they're moving migrants out of a school gymnasium and into an undisclosed location.

More than 67,000 asylum seekers have arrived in New York City since last year.

The city has since opened 150 emergency sites and is now reportedly looking at around 500 additional sites, although city officials will not specify where.

Gov. Kathy Hochul met with Congressional leaders Wednesday in Washington D.C about the migrant crisis and said they are looking at housing migrants at college campuses and shuttered psychiatric facilities.