New York City began moving single migrant men out of a Midtown hotel and into a new barracks-style shelter in Brooklyn over the weekend. But some refused to go — the latest flash point as the city struggles to accommodate tens of thousands of homeless newcomers.
Men who were being moved to the Cruise Terminal in Red Hook crowded the entrance to the Watson Hotel on West 57th Street on Sunday night, demanding to be let back in, and some slept on the sidewalk outside, aided by supporters who brought them pizza and blankets. Tents and luggage crowded the sidewalk. Some continued to protest there on Monday as the move-outs continued.
City Hall said that all the single adults would be transferred out of the 600-room Watson in the coming days to make room for migrant families who continue to arrive on buses from the southern border. More than 43,200 migrants have come through the city’s intake system since last year, including more than 1,600 in the last week. About two-thirds of them remain in the city’s care.
Mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly warned that the city is “at its breaking point” as it struggles to provide for the newcomers, many of whom lack connections here. The costs are expected to reach over $1 billion this year and could increase as more people arrive, city officials have said.
Migrants Protest Move From Midtown Hotel to Barracks-Style Shelter
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