Floyd Bennett Field Migrant Shelter Officially Closes

 Floyd Bennett Field Migrant Shelter Officially Closes

By Katie McFadden

And just like that, Floyd Bennett Field has been restored to just a national park. On Wednesday, January 15, the migrant shelter that started filling up in November 2023, officially closed and the last of the tents came down.

Ever since the lease was signed in September 2023 as Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul were seeking options to address the ever-growing migrant crisis across New York City, the idea drew controversy from those expressing fears over what having 2,000 migrants in a national park not far from residential communities in Brooklyn and Rockaway could mean, to those expressing concern over the circumstance of having so many people reside in tents in a weather and flood-prone area. There were several protests against it, collaborative efforts to bring the migrants clothing and other supplies, and even a lawsuit to try to get it shut down.

However, it wasn’t until December 10, two months after the year-long lease for the shelter at Floyd Bennett Field was renewed, when Mayor Eric Adams announced that the tents would come down by January 15, as they were officially closing it, and any remaining migrants would be reprocessed into other city-run shelters. Adams cited the decreasing numbers of migrants coming into the city as the reason for being able to shut Floyd Bennett Field, and dozens of other shelters across the city, down. Some speculated it was being shut down ahead of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, as deportation is one of his top priorities. Regardless, Adams’ goal of shutting down the shelter was complete as the unoccupied tents started being removed late last week.

“A day that we have long awaited,” Councilwoman Joann Ariola, who had been advocating for the FBF shelter to close before it even happened. “We look forward to an improved LEGAL immigration process in 2025 and beyond. Thank you to Assemblywoman Jaime Williams, U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and everyone who protested and spoke up against using our National Parks for housing.”

During a walkthrough of the empty site on Saturday, January 11, in an apology to surrounding neighbors, Mayor Adams told press, “I just want to personally say sorry . . . because this is something that none of us wanted. The federal government did not do its job, and New Yorkers had to do it for them. It was extremely challenging to watch.”

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