NEW YORK — The city of New York has closed down a large tent facility that once accommodated hundreds of migrant families at a decommissioned airport site in Brooklyn. This closure is part of a broader effort to decrease the emergency shelter system that was established in reaction to an influx of migrants arriving from the southern border, a trend that has been diminishing steadily in recent months.
This past weekend marked the departure of the last occupants from the site at Floyd Bennett Field, which had been home to approximately 2,000 individuals, as crews began dismantling the tent complex shortly thereafter. The facility, located on leased federal land, had raised concerns among advocates regarding its exposure to federal immigration enforcement under the incoming administration.
Jehinzo Gonzalez, a 47-year-old Venezuelan migrant, shared that he and his family were moved to a nearby city-operated shelter just a week before Christmas. He expressed gratitude for the new accommodations, stating, “It’s a more dignified place for the family. We have three rooms for the five of us. Comfortable beds, a private bathroom,” indicating a significant improvement compared to the cramped conditions they experienced in the airport’s tent camp since arriving in the U.S. last October.
According to information from Mayor Eric Adams’s office, around 230,000 migrants have entered New York City since spring 2022, but new arrivals have dropped for 27 consecutive weeks, currently sitting at the lowest levels seen in over a year. The city is now housing approximately 50,000 migrants in around 200 temporary shelters, a decrease from nearly 70,000 reported last January.
Nevertheless, the closures and enforced relocations are creating significant disruptions for many migrant families, impacting their daily routines regarding work, education, and essential services as they strive to establish stability in the city. For instance, Gabriel Montilla, who also hails from Venezuela, shared his struggles as he now spends hours on public transport to ensure his three young children arrive at their school in Brooklyn. Following their transfer from the Floyd Bennett Field site to a hotel in Queens, Montilla’s commute has become complex and time-consuming.
On a particularly cold and windy Tuesday, he faced the added challenges of crossing Brooklyn to submit important immigration documents right after dropping off his children. “If it were summer or something without such cold weather, it would be different,” Montilla lamented. “But at least for now it’s too strong, very strong; it is difficult.”
Advocacy groups emphasize the necessity for enhanced measures to transition migrants toward stable housing solutions. They emphasize the need to revise policies that restrict shelter duration for migrants and to invest in improved case management and legal aid for securing immigration status and work permits. Additionally, Steph Rudolph from the Legal Aid Society suggests that newly arrived migrants should be integrated into the city’s existing homeless shelter system rather than remaining isolated and susceptible to immigration actions.
With the incoming administration promising heightened immigration enforcement and mass deportations, concerns among migrant families are mounting. Gonzalez expressed anxiety for his family’s future, although they are relieved to leave the airport shelter. “They should respect the laws,” he stated, highlighting their asylum application status and lawful work eligibility as they hold part-time jobs at a local grocery store. “We are doing everything as dictated by the laws of the country. We hope to God that everything goes well.”
Looking ahead, more shelter closures are expected in the following weeks. A substantial tent community located on Randall’s Island is being emptied ahead of its planned shutdown next month. Recently, the Adams administration also announced the closure of an additional 10 shelters, including one warehouse-based facility in Brooklyn that at one point accommodated over 3,300 single men.
These changes will ultimately decrease the migrant housing capacity by nearly 7,800 beds, despite the opening of a new permanent shelter in the Bronx designed to house over 2,200 men transitioning from the tent facilities slated for closure.
