New York City is set to close the migrant shelter on Randalls Island by the end of February, Mayor Eric Adams announced, citing a drop in the number of asylum seekers needing shelter. The large facility, which once held thousands of migrants, will soon be returned to its original purpose as athletic fields and parkland. This decision comes as the city’s strategies to reduce its shelter demand appear to be paying off, though Adams emphasized that the crisis is not over. “Thanks to our smart management and advocacy, we have turned the corner on this crisis,” he stated.
The Randalls Island shelter has faced criticism since its opening. Locals expressed concerns about its impact on the quality of life and the surrounding parkland, while migrant advocates argued that its remote location and temporary structure were inadequate for long-term needs. The New York Immigration Coalition welcomed the news, with CEO Murad Awawdeh stating, “Cramming people into congregate settings in tents far from jobs and public transportation was flawed from the start. The city should also consider closing the family shelter at Floyd Bennet Field.”
Over the past year, the shelter has been plagued by violence, including several fatal incidents. In January, a man was tragically stabbed to death outside the shelter, leading to the arrest of five men. Another tragic incident occurred in July when a Venezuelan mother was struck by a stray bullet outside the facility. Despite these issues, the shelter served as a critical point of support for migrants amid the overwhelming demand.
City officials have noted a decrease in the number of asylum seekers since early summer, with current figures showing the lowest point in over a year. City Hall credits this decline to new policies that limit shelter stays to 30 and 60 days and offer migrants travel tickets to other locations outside New York. These measures were designed to relieve the city’s overburdened shelter system and encourage migrants to seek stability elsewhere.
According to the city comptroller, nearly 215,000 migrants have used the city’s shelters since spring 2022. However, as of August, around 64,000 asylum seekers remained within the system. The Randalls Island facility, one of the largest of its kind, has served as a key site amid this unprecedented influx, despite closing briefly in 2022 due to low usage.
With its closure, the city will shift its focus toward more sustainable support options for asylum seekers while gradually winding down its reliance on large, temporary shelters. The administration’s latest actions reflect a broader effort to balance humanitarian needs with the limitations of the city’s infrastructure.