Special Poll
The issue of immigration was a central theme in the recent election, resonating with voters and contributing to President-elect Donald Trump’s victory. Following his election, there has been a notable shift in policies concerning sanctuary cities and their migrant shelter operations, as local governments prepare for Trump’s promised widespread deportation efforts led by his appointed “border czar,” Tom Homan.
In New York City, officials have begun the process of closing multiple migrant shelters. These facilities previously accommodated hundreds of migrants but are scaling down in anticipation of policy changes. This reduction in shelter operations occurs amidst a reported increase in criminal activities, such as robberies and shoplifting, which local authorities attribute to the recent surge in migrant arrivals. The largest of these facilities, located on Randall’s Island with a capacity for 3,000 individuals, is expected to close by February, shortly after Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025.
The financial burden on city taxpayers has been substantial, with New York City spending an average of $352 per night on each migrant, as reported by the New York Post. Of this amount, only $130 is allocated for hotel accommodations, with the remainder covering social services, food, and cleaning expenses. Moreover, Mayor Eric Adams has decided to terminate a debit card program that had distributed $3.2 million to 2,600 migrant families, as reported by Gothamist.
Similar actions are taking place in Chicago, where Mayor Brandon Johnson announced the impending closure of multiple migrant shelters by December 1, according to Block Club Chicago. The city’s largest temporary accommodation, which housed 1,500 migrants at the Inn of Chicago, is set to close by the end of the week. This follows the earlier shutdown of a designated “landing zone” used for processing newly arrived migrants into shelters.
Mayor Johnson articulated a shift towards a more cost-effective and equitable strategy to address homelessness that encompasses all city residents, reflecting the significant decrease in migrant arrivals and the city’s fiscal constraints.
In Massachusetts, a state panel has advised substantial budget cuts after a study estimated that integrating migrants into the homeless shelter system would cost taxpayers approximately $1 billion in 2025, as per a Boston Herald report. The state had previously established a resettlement agency and other support programs in September 2023 to assist migrants, but by November of that year, the shelter system was overwhelmed by the influx and reached full capacity.
These developments highlight a nationwide trend of reevaluation and restructuring of migrant support systems in anticipation of stricter immigration enforcement under the upcoming Trump administration.