Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, under the Trump administration, has recently withdrawn funding designated for the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, which has been accommodating migrants. The administration asserts that the Department of Homeland Security is in the process of reclaiming a $59 million payment intended to assist with the housing expenses of migrants.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island has ruled that the Trump administration is permitted to continue withholding Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds allocated to New York for migrant housing initiatives. McConnell concluded that the administration’s decision to terminate the funding is based on relevant authorizing statutes, regulations, and terms, and he indicated that no further clarification is necessary.

On Wednesday, Noem expressed her views on X, stating, “I have reclaimed the full payment that FEMA deep state activists unilaterally allocated to NYC migrant hotels. FEMA was financing the Roosevelt Hotel, which serves as a base for Tren de Aragua and was used to house the individual responsible for Laken Riley’s death. I assure you: not a single dollar will be spent that undermines the interests and safety of the American people.”

A representative from New York City Hall responded by clarifying that the funds from the Biden-Harris administration were not part of disaster relief grants. “The previous administration left New York City largely to fend for itself in managing an international humanitarian crisis. During the peak of the situation, we took immediate emergency measures to house thousands of migrants arriving in our city weekly, including utilizing completely vacant hotels, ensuring that no family had to sleep on the streets and that the safety of long-term New Yorkers was preserved,” they stated.

The spokesperson further noted that the collaboration with the hotel has enabled the city to assist thousands of migrants in exiting the shelter system over the past few years. “Due to our effective management of the crisis, we have facilitated the departure of over 184,000 migrants from the city’s shelter system since the spring of 2022. However, we still face significant challenges ahead,” they added.

During a briefing on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that President Trump is concentrating on directing FEMA funding to Americans affected by natural disasters. She remarked, “[President Trump is] here for a reason, and he is focused every day on implementing his administration’s goals and sending 59 million dollars to a migrant hotel to accommodate illegal immigrants while there are still individuals in North Carolina and California who have yet to receive FEMA assistance.”

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander condemned this decision, asserting that the funds were “stolen” by the Trump administration. He urged the Mayor to take immediate legal action to recover the tens of millions of dollars misappropriated by Trump and DOGE. “If Mayor Adams chooses to remain a pawn of President Trump, my Office will seek to collaborate with the New York City Law Department to initiate vigorous legal proceedings,” he stated.