$90 MILLION spent by NYC hospitals to house illegal immigrants in luxury hotels

It has been revealed that New York City's hospital system, the New York City Health + Hospitals Corporation, is on track to spend over $90 million through Spring 2023 housing illegal immigrants. Mayor Eric Adams tasked the system with handling the accommodation aspect of the city's migrant crisis last fall.

The tens of millions of dollars have been spent on a number of Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers, HERRCs, throughout the city, however the bulk of the funding has gone to setting migrants up in swanky Manhattan hotels, many of which have reported that inhabitants have trashed their rooms and caused disturbances.



According to a memo from October 13, 2022, City Hall noted that the New York City Health + Hospitals Corporation "shall be responsible for the management and operation of the HERRCs," adding that they will be reimbursed at a later date.

While NYC H + H was asked to oversee day-to-day operation of the HERRCs and many other aspects of their existence, City Hall stated that it would handle enforcing eligibility of admission to the shelters.

As The City reports, shortly after that agreement was signed, NYC H + H President and CEO Mitchell Katz authorized over $92 million to house migrants in a number of Manhattan hotels through Spring 2023.

Nearly $6 million was allocated to the Wolcott Hotel in the Garment District, $20 million to the Watson in Hell's Kitchen, $28 million to the four-star Stewart Hotel across from Madison Square Garden, and a whopping $40 million to ROW NYC near Times Square. A HERRC was also established at a Holiday Inn in the Financial District in early February.

HERRCs were also set up on Randall's Island and at the cruise terminal in Red Hook, however the former has since been dismantled.

Speaking with The City, an City Hall spokesperson reiterated that since the beginning of the migrants crisis, "New York City has mounted a multi-agency response to ensure we are meeting our moral obligations and providing compassionate, comprehensive care to those arriving in our city, and NYC Health + Hospitals has been key in that response from the start."

NYC has been hit hard by an unprecedented influx of illegal immigrants. Since last summer, nearly 50,000 have entered the city, and an estimated 29,700 remain.