House Republican urges new Trump AG Blanche to shut down Biden-era NYC heroin injection sites

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., slammed Biden administration-funded heroin injection sites in New York City in an interview with Fox News Digital.

At the heart of Malliotakis' complaints are two Overdose Prevention Centers (OPCs) in Manhattan — one in East Harlem and the other in Washington Heights — that, until recently, funneled federal funds to "supervised consumption services," including the supervised use of illicit drugs such as heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance.

"People literally go there like it's a community center, hang out, and shoot up drugs. It's signaling to drug dealers where their clients are located and attracting a criminal element in and around the facility," Malliotakis told Fox News Digital.

"We don't want to see this spread throughout the City of New York or the rest of the country, which is why it's critical for the Department of Justice to step in now to stop these illegally operating heroin injection centers — to make an example of what's taking place in New York City so other municipalities throughout the country don't think about opening them," she continued.

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Malliotakis wrote a letter to newly-confirmed U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche on Tuesday, requesting that he take "swift action" to shut down the centers.

She accused the nonprofit OnPoint, which runs the centers, of "operating in clear violation of federal law under Title 21 of the United States Code Section 856 which states it is unlawful to '...knowingly open, lease, rent, use, or maintain any place, whether permanently or temporarily, for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, or using any controlled substance...'"

A Justice Department spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital that "the DOJ can confirm receipt of the letter and is ensuring the appropriate personnel within the Department are reviewing it carefully."

President Donald Trump's administration, in a July 2025 executive order, ordered the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to redirect funding from "recipients of Federal housing and homelessness assistance that operate drug injection sites or 'safe consumption sites,' knowingly distribute drug paraphernalia, or permit the use or distribution of illicit drugs on property under their control."

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Malliotakis praised the decision while arguing that the OnPoint facilities fall under that definition.

"Thankfully, President Trump last year signed an executive order prohibiting any federal funds from going to such facilities. There was a $2 million grant that Joe Biden's administration had approved for these facilities in New York, and President Trump's executive order canceled that," she told Fox News Digital.

Malliotakis also introduced a bill in 2025 that would further defund injection centers nationally.

"We don't know who will be president in a few years, so we need that codified in statute. I'm very pleased to see the President took action via executive order to stop $2 million of taxpayer money from going to a heroin shooting gallery, which is an absolutely insane use of taxpayer funds," she told Fox News Digital.

"We're hopeful that under the new Trump administration, we will see these heroin sites finally shut down because what they're doing is enabling addiction," she continued. "It is really unsavory activity that's taking place. You see the quality of life deteriorate, all in full view of the school children attending surrounding community schools," Malliotakis said.

Malliotakis also slammed New York's Democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who visited one of OnPoint's locations in March.

"The new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, did go visit one of these facilities and was praising the work they're doing, which is ludicrous. It's enabling drug addiction instead of helping people who are clearly addicted," she told Fox News Digital.

"These are people addicted to these substances, and instead of helping them fight their addiction and get off drugs, they're literally enabling them and giving them a community center to do it in — when we could use community centers for our youth and our seniors. It's really, really disturbing to see tax dollars go to this" she continued.

"We need long-term treatment. I've been a constant supporter of funding long-term treatment. Unfortunately, here in New York City, when they make a drug-related arrest, it's a quick turnaround — you're in and you're out, even if you're the dealer perpetrating these crimes on people," Malliotakis said.

Fox News Digital contacted the White House, Mamdani's office and OnPoint for further comment.