- The Justice Department is investigating the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, which has operated as a migrant shelter since 2022. The DOJ is also investigating a homeless shelter at the Chandler Hotel.
- Federal prosecutors have issued a subpoena seeking details on the migrants staying there. The details include personal information and funding sources, amid concerns of potential immigration law violations.
- To date, New York City has spent over $7 billion on housing and food for migrants.
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The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating a New York City hotel that operates as a migrant shelter, according to multiple reports. The U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York issued a subpoena to the Roosevelt Hotel, which has been functioning as a migrant shelter since 2022 when New York City first saw an influx of migrants.
More than 230,000 migrants have arrived in New York City since August 2022.
Federal prosecutors want the hotel to provide “a list of full names of aliens” currently residing at the hotel. Additional, federal prosecutors are asking for their country of origin, identification numbers and dates of birth.
Prosecutors are seeking additional details on funding sources, alleging a violation of immigration law, according to Fox 5 New York. The specifics of the alleged violation remain unclear.
The DOJ is also looking into the Chandler Hotel, which currently operates as a homeless shelter, according to reports.
New York City officials had not received any subpoenas as of Wednesday morning, March 12, according to The New York Times.
The city signed multimillion-dollar contracts with more than 100 hotels to house over 230,000 migrants as asylum seekers began arriving in New York City. City Hall has spent more than $7 billion on shelter and food for migrants.
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office released a statement saying, “We cannot comment on any type of federal investigation.”
In February, the Trump administration rescinded $80 million in FEMA funds allocated to New York City to help manage those seeking asylum. The administration cites alleged concerns over gang and criminal activity at the Roosevelt Hotel.
In response, New York City sued the Trump administration to recover the funds. However, a federal judge blocked that request.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in February that the Roosevelt Hotel will stop housing migrants by June.
