Congresswoman Critiques NYC Heroin Injection Facilities
In a recent conversation with Fox News Digital, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R.N.Y.) expressed serious concerns about a heroin injection facility in New York City that is receiving support from the Biden administration.
Her criticisms particularly target two overdose prevention centers (OPCs) located in Manhattan—one in East Harlem and another in Washington Heights. Up until recently, these centers utilized federal funds for “supervised consumption services,” allowing the use of illegal drugs such as heroin, which is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance.
“People literally go there to hang out and shoot drugs, almost like it’s a community center. This just informs drug dealers about where their customers are and draws in criminal activity to the facility,” Malliotakis stated.
She further emphasized the need for urgent intervention: “We can’t let this spread in New York City or elsewhere in the country. It’s vital for the Department of Justice to step in immediately and halt these illegally operating heroin injection centers. They should set a precedent to show what’s happening in New York and deter other cities from attempting similar initiatives.”
Malliotakis has also written to U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, requesting prompt action to shut down the facility.
OnPoint, the nonprofit managing the center, purportedly operates in defiance of federal law, specifically Title 21 of the United States Code, which prohibits the establishment of locales for the manufacture, distribution, or use of controlled substances.
A representative from the Justice Department confirmed that they have received Malliotakis’s letter and that appropriate personnel are currently reviewing it.
Last year, under President Donald Trump, an executive order was issued to redirect federal funds from any housing and homelessness assistance recipients that manage drug injection facilities or allow illegal drug use on their premises.
Malliotakis applauded this decision, arguing that OnPoint’s facilities clearly align with the order’s stipulations. “Thank goodness for President Trump’s executive order, which barred federal funds from going to such facilities. A $2 million grant had been approved by President Biden’s administration for these centers in New York, but Trump’s order rescinded that,” she commented.
She has also introduced a bill aimed at further reducing funds allocated for injection centers nationwide.
“We really need to enshrine this into law, since we don’t know what the future holds politically. I feel relieved that through an executive order, the president has blocked taxpayer money from funding heroin shooting ranges, which is just an outrageous misuse of our dollars,” she remarked.
Reflecting on the implications of these facilities, Malliotakis stated, “I genuinely hope that under a potential new Trump administration, these injection sites will finally be shut down because they promote addiction. It’s truly disturbing to witness the quality of life declining around community schools.”
She also took issue with Mayor Zoran Mamdani of New York, who visited one of the OnPoint sites earlier in the year, praising its efforts. “It’s absurd for the mayor to endorse such facilities, which simply enable drug addiction rather than helping those in need,” she said.
In her concluding remarks, Malliotakis expressed, “Instead of offering real support to those struggling with addiction, they’re basically handing out a place for drug use. We should be repurposing community centers for youth and seniors, not this.” She added, “What we need are long-term treatment options. Unfortunately, in New York City, the system fails to change quickly for those arrested for drug offenses, letting even dealers slip back into society.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House, Mayor Mamdani’s office, and OnPoint for additional comments.
