New York City rents Pakistan-owned hotel for $220 million to house immigrants

New York City is paying $220 million to rent the Roosevelt Hotel, owned by the Government of Pakistan, to house illegal immigrants. This arrangement has drawn criticism from some, including Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. The hotel, which has over 1,200 rooms, had been closed since 2020 and needed renovations before the city began renting it. The deal is part of a larger $1.1 billion IMF bailout for Pakistan. Ramaswamy described the situation as "nuts," highlighting concerns about taxpayer money being used to support a foreign government.