Sun Dec 01 05:22:45 UTC 2024: **NYC Pays $220 Million to Pakistani Government-Owned Hotel for Migrant Housing: Ramaswamy Calls it “Nuts”**
New York City is facing criticism for spending $220 million to rent the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, owned by the Pakistani government, to house illegal immigrants. The revelation, reported by author John LeFevre and amplified by Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, has sparked outrage.
Ramaswamy, along with Elon Musk, has been appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to a new Department of Government Efficiency to identify and eliminate wasteful spending. He described the arrangement as “nuts,” highlighting the fact that New York City taxpayers are effectively subsidizing a foreign government to house illegal immigrants within the United States.
LeFevre reported that the deal, part of a $1.1 billion IMF bailout package for Pakistan, allowed the city to rent the previously closed and under-renovated 1,200-room hotel. The 19-story hotel, owned by Pakistan International Airlines, a Pakistani government-owned airline, was reportedly struggling with occupancy before securing this lucrative contract.
The news comes as President-elect Trump’s administration is focused on improving government efficiency and fiscal responsibility. The high cost of the hotel rental and the involvement of a foreign government are expected to fuel further debate about immigration policy and government spending.
First Piper 