Feds seized $80 million in FEMA funds given to NYC to house migrants, city comptroller says
NEW YORK — New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is calling on city officials to step in after the federal government seized over $80 million he says was given to the city to house migrants.
He held an emergency news conference Wednesday afternoon after he said his office found the money was missing from the city's accounts.
According to Lander, FEMA awarded the funds to the city to house asylum seekers.
"These are folks who, for the most part, registered with the federal government when they crossed, in many cases got sent here by the federal government. New York City stepped up to provide shelter and services and pay for that," Lander said.
Elon Musk claims $80 million was being spent on luxury NYC hotels to house migrants
It comes after Elon Musk, head of the White House's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), claimed the money was being wasted on luxury hotels to house migrants.
The Department of Homeland Security said four people were recently fired for making unauthorized payments to those luxury hotels.
A Homeland Security spokesperson said in part: "FEMA was funding the Roosevelt Hotel that serves as a Tren de Aragua base of operations and was used to house Laken Riley's killer. There will not be a single penny spent that goes against the interest and safety of the American people."
"Sending 59 million bucks to a migrant hotel to house illegal immigrants when there are still people in North Carolina and California who have not received FEMA funding is not something that this administration is going to tolerate," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a briefing after the funds were seized.
"The federal program we're talking about, the shelter and services program, has a $12.50 a night cap on hotel and shelter prices, and obviously New York City paid much more than $12.50 a night for the tents at Floyd Bennett Field and Randall's Island, much less for the hotels here," Lander said.
The mayor's office says it is conducting an internal investigation, adding, "Our office has already engaged with the White House about recouping these funds and we've requested an emergency meeting with FEMA to try and resolve the matter as quickly as possible."
