NYC’s plans to house illegal immigrants in hotels could cost taxpayers over $300 million

Officials in the city have either rented or announced plans to secure around 5,800 hotel rooms across the city in response to the growing number of illegal immigrants arriving in the city from the southern border. According to the New York Post, the thousands of migrants that have arrived quickly overwhelmed the city’s already strained homeless shelter system.

One of the largest operations is planned for the ROW NYC on 8th Avenue, where officials are looking to rent upwards of 600 rooms in the Midtown hotel and provide intake and other services for those who recently arrived in the city.

According to the New York Post, on Monday officials said that they were evaluating four proposals to run the site.

Previously, ROW had been used by city officials as a shelter as part of a $139 million contract signed in January of 2021 with the Department of Homeless Services. In this contact, the city spent an average of $147.67 per day in rent for a room.

Using this previous contact, the New York Post revealed that the new plans to house migrants would cost $312.6 million for 5,800 rooms, without counting other costs like food and medical care.

"Providing these services will clearly be a significant costs that will require city officials to either shift funding from other programs or identify savings," Ana Champeny, a top researcher at the Citizens Budget Commission, told the New York Post.

Officials have estimated that over 6,000 illegal immigrants have arrived in the city since May, with that number jumping by nearly 2,000 in the last few weeks, as Texas Governor Greg Abbott began bussing migrants to New York City as well as Washington, DC.

City officials have warned that this number may be higher, as the estimate only includes those who have entered the city’s shelter system.

"We have a legal and moral obligation to welcome families seeking asylum," Councilman Justin Brannan, who chairs the budget committee, said. "The city doesn’t have to foot the bill for Ghoul Abbott’s political theater."

Brannan noted that the city would likely receive support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Emergency Shelter and Food Program fund to help cover costs.