Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis announced that New York City will end the lease for the Floyd Bennett Field migrant shelter on March 10, 2025, six months earlier than planned. Migrants are expected to vacate the facility by January 15, 2025.
Malliotakis stated, "Today's announcement that the Floyd Bennett Field migrant shelter will close next month, days before President Trump is sworn in, shows the impact his agenda is already having on our country's migrant crisis. While we kept the pressure up by rallying, protesting, passing legislation and filing bipartisan lawsuits to terminate the lease, the reelection of President Trump was the final nail in the coffin to secure this closure, restore order in our community and put American citizens first."
She further commented on her stance regarding federal parks being used as shelters: "As I've said from the beginning, turning our federal parks into encampments for unvetted migrants from all over the world is unfair to the surrounding community and taxpayers who have been forced to foot the bill for this madness to the tune of $12 billion."
Malliotakis expressed hope that other shelters would also be closed and emphasized collaboration with President Trump's administration to change immigration policies.
In September 2023, Malliotakis organized a tour for members of the House Committee on Natural Resources at various migrant shelters across New York City. The tour included visits to sites like Manhattan's Roosevelt Hotel and Brooklyn's Floyd Bennett Field. Following this tour, two hearings were held regarding Malliotakis' legislation which gained bipartisan support in November 2023.
Malliotakis is a cosponsor of H.R.2, known as the Secure Border Act of 2023. This legislation aims to resume construction of a southern border wall, increase Border Patrol agents, reform asylum processes, mandate E-Verify usage and prohibit releasing illegal immigrants apprehended at borders into U.S. territory. Additionally, she has proposed legislation to prevent housing migrants on military bases such as Brooklyn's Fort Hamilton Army Base.
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