Trump administration halts funding for Roosevelt Hotel

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration has halted funding to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the agency responsible for the funding for the Roosevelt Hotel.

US Homeland Security Chief Kristi Noem has announced the suspension of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding via a post on X.

Pakistan had leased the Roosevelt Hotel to the New York City Council for three years in exchange for $220 million.

The hotel, owned by Pakistan, has been used to house migrants.

The controversy over funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) started on Monday, when Elon Musk claimed, without evidence, that the agency had sent $59 million in disaster relief funds for New York City to cover “high-end hotels” for migrants.

City officials pushed back, telling Newsweek the funds were properly allocated by Congress last year, that they were not meant for disaster relief and that they hadn’t been spent on hotel accommodations for migrants.

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Regardless, the Department of Homeland Security announced that four FEMA employees, including its chief financial officer, had been fired over the payments.

“Effective immediately, FEMA is terminating the employment of four individuals for circumventing leadership to unilaterally make egregious payments for luxury NYC hotels for migrants. Firings include FEMA’s Chief Financial Officer, two program analysts and a grant specialist,” a DHS spokesperson said in a statement to Newsweek.

“Under President Trump and Secretary [Kristi] Noem’s leadership, DHS will not sit idly and allow deep state activists to undermine the will and safety of the American people,” the statement said.

The new Homeland Security Secretary has decided to cut funding under an anti-immigration policy.