Overview
- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani made an unannounced White House visit to ask President Donald Trump to back a revived Sunnyside Yards project with roughly $21 billion in federal grants.
- City Hall says the plan would build about 12,000 homes over the Queens rail yard, including roughly 6,000 Mitchell‑Lama units, plus parks, schools and clinics, and an estimated 30,000 union jobs.
- Mamdani reported that Trump expressed interest in continuing discussions, while the White House has not independently confirmed any funding commitment.
- Shortly after the meeting, Trump called Mamdani to say a Columbia student detained by ICE would be released; the mayor also sought help for four other students, with reporting indicating only Leqaa Kordia remains in custody.
- Any redevelopment would require cooperation from Amtrak and the MTA, federal policy changes and New York City land‑use review, as local officials like Council Member Julie Won pressed for a full public process despite initial support for more housing from state leaders.