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Randall's Island tent shelter for migrants will close at the end of February
By
Arun Venugopal
Published Oct 9, 2024
Modified Oct 9, 2024
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Arya Sundaram / Gothamist
By
Arun Venugopal
Published Oct 9, 2024
Modified Oct 9, 2024
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The sprawling migrant tent shelter on Randall’s Island is closing, Mayor Eric Adams announced on Wednesday, citing a steady drop in the number of migrants arriving in New York City.
The Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Center, built to accommodate up to 3,000 people, will end operations at the end of February, Adams said. The largest tent on the property, which held 750 beds, has already been dismantled.
The mayor said the number of new migrants in the city had declined for 14 straight weeks, prompting the move. The site opened in August 2023 and is perhaps the most visible symbol of the city's so-called migrant crisis.
The Randall’s Island site is part of a citywide network of shelters housing more than 60,000 migrants. More than 220,000 migrants, mostly asylum-seekers, have come to the city since spring 2022, though most have since left the city's care.
“We’re not out of the woods yet, but make no mistake, thanks in large part to our smart management strategies and successful advocacy, we have turned the corner on this crisis,” Adams said in a statement. “We’re not scrambling every day to open new shelters — we’re talking about closing them.”
According to the city comptroller’s office, the number of migrants in the city’s care peaked at 69,000 in January 2024 and has steadily declined since.
The Randall’s Island site, which held more migrants than any other location across the five boroughs, has generated controversy since its opening, with reports of crime, litter, and the seizure of unregistered mopeds and scooters. According to NYPD data in September, major crimes on Randall’s Island, including felony assaults and robberies, grew from 44 to 102 over the previous 12 months.
Critics including the Randall’s Island Park Alliance complained about the reduction in available park space owing to the migrant site. The announcement from the city noted that “impacted athletic fields and parkland” would be restored to public use.
Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom noted the role that the Randall’s Island and other shelters have played in migrants’ lives.
“Roughly 7 in 10 of those seeking asylum have moved on to the next part of their journey,” she said in a statement, “and today’s announcement is another step on our path through our humanitarian response.”
Adams attributed the declining numbers to several strategies, including 30- and 60-day limits on shelter stays for migrants, as well as case management and reticketing services.
Additionally, the city's Asylum Application Help Center has helped complete more than 72,000 applications for work authorization, temporary protected status, and asylum.
The announcement also comes as the Biden White House has instituted new restrictions on asylum in recent months, reducing the number of immigrants crossing the southern U.S. border.
Murad Awawdeh, the president of the New York Immigration Coalition, called the closure announcement “welcome news.”
“We encourage the City to close other inhumane HERRCs (especially Floyd Bennett Field, which subjugates families to unsafe conditions), and to ensure that anyone who needs it has access to safe and dignified shelter,” Awawdeh said in a statement.
This article was updated with additional comment.
Tagged
new york city
Asylum Seekers
randall's island
Race And Justice Unit
eric adams
Arun Venugopal
Arun Venugopal is a senior reporter for the WNYC and Gothamist Race & Justice Unit who focuses on issues of race and bias in our region. His reporting also tackles the topics of immigration, faith, and inequality. Arun serves as the regular fill-in host of the station's "U.S. of Anxiety" program. Arun was the creator and host of Micropolis, a series about race and identity. He is a contributor to NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered. He has appeared on PBS Newshour, On the Media and Studio 360, and has been published in The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal and Salon. He also frequently serves as an emcee and moderator of panel discussions on race, religion, and identity issues and has been a guest host of NPR's "Fresh Air." He lives with his family in Queens.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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