The Roosevelt Hotel, the main migrant intake center in New York City for the past two years, will close in the coming months, the City Hall announced on Monday.
Located in the heart of Manhattan, the Roosevelt became the primary reception point for the thousands of immigrants who began arriving in the city in the spring of 2022, after being transported by bus from the southern border.
Since its opening in May 2023, the hotel has served as the city’s operations hub for managing migrant arrivals, providing temporary housing, food, medical care, legal assistance, and referrals to the city’s extensive shelter system.
At the peak of the migrant crisis, the Roosevelt became a symbol of the challenges faced by several Northeastern cities. Images of migrants sleeping on sidewalks while waiting for entry and buses constantly arriving with people carrying plastic bags and suitcases illustrated the scale of the situation.
Since 2022, more than 232,000 migrants have arrived in the city, with over 173,000 registered at the Roosevelt, according to City Hall data. To manage the influx, the city implemented shelter stay limits for both single migrants and families, while struggling to meet its legal obligation to provide housing to those in need.
“While our work is not yet done, today marks another milestone in demonstrating the tremendous progress we have made in this unprecedented humanitarian effort,” said Mayor Eric Adams.
At the height of the crisis, an average of 4,000 people per week were arriving. However, in recent months, that number has dropped to about 350 weekly registrations at the Roosevelt. Currently, the city is housing fewer than 45,000 migrants, a significant decrease from the peak of 69,000 recorded in January 2024.
Not everyone who arrived in New York stayed. According to Monday’s report, the city helped more than 53,200 migrants leave by purchasing travel tickets to their preferred destinations. In total, more than 188,000 people who sought city services have moved forward in their path to self-sufficiency.
The Roosevelt’s closure is part of a broader plan to reduce temporary shelters across the city, many of which were set up in hotels and emergency tent facilities on sports fields. City officials stated that by June, 53 shelters will have been phased out, and migrant intake services, along with support systems, will be integrated into other parts of the system.
