Rep.
Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., is intensifying her campaign against New York Citys heroin injection sites, arguing they are illegal, dangerous, and a misuse of taxpayer dollars under the Biden administration.
At the center of her criticism are two Overdose Prevention Centers (OPCs) in Manhattan, one in East Harlem and the other in Washington Heights, which have been used for "supervised consumption services," including the monitored use of illegal narcotics such as heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance. According to Fox News, the facilities, operated by the nonprofit OnPoint, have drawn federal funding in recent years, raising alarms among conservatives who see them as a direct affront to federal drug laws and basic public order.
Malliotakis, who represents parts of Staten Island and Brooklyn, described the sites as magnets for crime and addiction rather than instruments of public health. "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.
She warned that if the federal government fails to intervene, similar facilities will proliferate in other cities, normalizing hard drug use under the guise of harm reduction. "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.
On Tuesday, Malliotakis sent a formal letter to newly confirmed U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, urging him to take "swift action" to close the centers and enforce federal law. She accused OnPoint 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...'"
The Justice Department acknowledged receiving her request but stopped short of signaling any immediate enforcement move. 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."
Malliotakis contrasted the Biden administrations posture with that of President Donald Trump, who took a hard line against such facilities. In a July 2025 executive order, Trump directed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to cut off funding to "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."
She argued that OnPoints operations clearly fall within the scope of that order and applauded Trump for acting where, in her view, Democrats have capitulated to the drug legalization lobby. "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.
Seeking to ensure that future administrations cannot quietly restore such funding, Malliotakis introduced legislation in 2025 to permanently defund injection centers nationwide. She framed the bill as a necessary safeguard against shifting political winds in Washington and the growing influence of progressive drug policy advocates.
"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.
Malliotakis expressed optimism that a renewed Trump administration would finally shutter the New York sites and reverse what she sees as a broader cultural slide toward normalizing hard drug use. "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.
Her criticism extended to New Yorks left-wing leadership, which has embraced the harm-reduction model despite mounting concerns from residents about crime, disorder, and declining neighborhood standards. Malliotakis singled out Democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who publicly toured one of OnPoints locations in March and lauded its work.
"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.
For Malliotakis, the issue is not merely about law enforcement but about the moral and civic priorities of a city government that, she argues, has abandoned its duty to protect families and children. "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.
She has long advocated for robust, long-term treatment programs as an alternative to what she views as permissive, ideology-driven experiments that leave addicts trapped and communities destabilized. "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.
As the legal and political battle over supervised injection sites intensifies, Malliotakis and other conservatives are pressing the Justice Department to enforce existing federal law rather than bow to progressive pressure from urban Democrats. Fox News Digital contacted the White House, Mamdani's office and OnPoint for further comment.
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