NYC’s $220 Million Lease of Roosevelt Hotel for Undocumented Migrants Sparks Controversy

In 2023, New York City signed a $220 million lease to rent the Roosevelt Hotel. This hotel, located in Manhattan and owned by Pakistan International Airlines, has 1,200 rooms. The city will use it to house undocumented migrants for three years. This decision has received significant criticism.

Republican politician Vivek Ramaswamy criticized the lease, calling it “nuts.” He stated on X that taxpayer money should not fund a hotel owned by a foreign government. He emphasized that New York City taxpayers are effectively paying a foreign government to house undocumented migrants.

The Roosevelt Hotel, which closed in 2020 due to the pandemic, reopened under this lease. This agreement aligns with Pakistan’s efforts to secure a $1.1 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund to avoid an economic crisis.

The lease is projected to generate $220 million for Pakistan. Khawaja Saad Rafique, Pakistan’s Minister of Railways and Aviation, confirmed that this revenue would support the country’s financial recovery. He noted that the hotel would return to the government of Pakistan after the three-year lease ends.