Council Member Robert Holden announced April 3 that the Mayor’s Office had formally informed him that two controversial “asylum seeker operations” in his district will shut down in June 2025. The sites at Ridgewood Presbyterian Church and the Rabbinical Seminary in Maspeth have long been the subject of community concern and scrutiny.
“These locations should have never opened in the first place,” said Holden. “The fact that the City spent nearly $6.5 billion housing people who have no right to be here is absolutely ridiculous. The grift will finally be over.”
Council Member Holden has been a vocal critic of the Adams Administration’s handling of the migrant crisis, consistently advocating for fiscal responsibility and community input.
He emphasized that the operations at both sites lacked transparency and accountability from the outset.
“I want to thank my staff – especially Phil Wong, Alicia Vaichunas, Charlie Vavruska and Daniel Kurzyna – for staying on top of this issue from day one,” added Holden. “Their relentless work ensured that these temporary shelters were not made permanent, and that taxpayer dollars are no longer being wasted.”
Holden also recognized the tireless advocacy of the many neighbors who protested outside of the Maspeth shelter every week for nearly a year. The official closure timeline has been confirmed for June 2025, after which both locations will cease operating as emergency shelters for migrants.
