New York's Historic Roosevelt Hotel Turns Into Migrant Shelter Home As Thousands Seek Asylum

The historic Roosevelt Hotel in midtown Manhattan which was closed during the pandemic has been re-opened to house thousands of migrants that have recently arrived at Port Authority, New York Post reported. The iconic hotel, located at 45 East 45th Street near the Grand Central Terminal, has been closed for nearly three years. 

The hotel will be converted into a central intake centre for hundreds of asylum seekers who are expected to arrive in the coming weeks because of the expiration of pandemic-era rules. Notably, the US government recently lifted a controversial immigration policy, known as Title 42, which blocked migrants caught at the US-Mexico border from seeking asylum since 2020. The Trump-era policy expired on May 11 after which the city is witnessing a huge increase in the influx of migrants at the border. 

''New York City has now cared for more than 65,000 asylum seekers — already opening up over 140 emergency shelters and eight large-scale humanitarian relief centres in addition to this one to manage this national crisis. While this new arrival centre and humanitarian relief centre will create hundreds of good-paying, union jobs and provide the infrastructure to help asylum seekers reach their final destination, without federal or state assistance, we will be unable to continue treating new arrivals and those already here with the dignity and care that they deserve,'' Mayor Eric Adams said, announcing the decision.

Asylum Seeker Arrival Center and 9th HERRC opening this week.

The Roosevelt Hotel will open up 175 rooms for children and families, until it is scaled to approximately 850 rooms. An additional 100-150 rooms will be held for #AsylumSeekers in transition to other locations. pic.twitter.com/uV02WCmzru

— NYC Immigrant Affairs (@NYCImmigrants) May 14, 2023

The Roosevelt Hotel is now opening 175 rooms for families, with plans to open an additional 675 rooms later this week. Migrants at the centre will have access to legal, medical and reconnection services, and can also be placed in a shelter or humanitarian relief centre if needed.

Not just Roosevelt, many other hotels are also being transformed into emergency shelters, many of them in prime locations. The Watson Hotel on West 57th Street, and Holiday Inn, located in Manhattan's Financial District are the other hotels that are being used to house migrant families.

A legal mandate requires the city to provide shelter to anyone who needs it. The city took in more than 4,200 migrants last week as it scrambles to find them shelter.