New York City is taking steps to shrink its emergency shelter system for migrants as the number of new arrivals decreases and concerns about mass deportations under President-elect Donald Trump loom. Mayor Eric Adams announced the closure of a large tent shelter housing over 1,800 migrants on a former airport in Brooklyn, with plans to transfer residents to other sites. This move follows the closure of 25 locations, including another large tent complex scheduled to shut down in February.
Advocates have been pushing for the closure of the Floyd Bennett Field shelter, where families feared being targeted for deportation by the incoming Trump administration. The impending closure of this site and others is part of the city’s efforts to wind down its response to an influx of migrants since the spring of 2022.
The Democratic administration has committed to closing additional shelters, including those operated in upstate counties, citing their controversial immigration policies as contributing factors. The closure of the airfield and other sites aims to consolidate resources and save taxpayer money.
In response to Trump’s promises of mass deportations, the city’s shelter system has seen a decline in new arrivals, with roughly 55,000 migrants currently housed across 200 temporary sites. This is down from nearly 70,000 migrants in January. Other cities, such as Denver and Chicago, have also reduced migrant shelter operations as new asylum restrictions have been implemented.
The New York City administration aims to ensure the protection of migrants from potential federal immigration enforcement actions as they continue to navigate the changing landscape of migrant support services in the city.
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