New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday that he believes city officials should cooperate more with ICE as they potentially deport immigrants “suspected” of committing “serious” crimes in the Big Apple. said.
Hitzoner called for changes to the city’s current sanctuary policy, which severely restricts communication between federal agents and the city, following a recent spate of crimes allegedly involving immigrants in Gotham.
“I want to return to the standards of previous mayors who I believe share my belief that people suspected of committing serious crimes in our city should be held accountable,” Adams, a Democrat, said at a news conference. ” he said.
“I think New Yorkers have a right to be safe,” Adams added.
When asked by a reporter about immigration due process, Adams retorted: There’s just a philosophical disagreement here. ”
“They may have due process, but we should be communicating with ICE,” Adams continued. “And if ICE makes a decision to deport, they should do so.”
City Hall noted Tuesday night that ICE has its own due process under federal law to decide whether an immigrant should be deported. Officials added that Adams was referring to immigrants who are alleged to have committed felonies or are repeat offenders.
City Hall Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg said a previous executive order from 1989 made it clear that officials could not forward to federal authorities the immigration status of people who sought city services or were victims of crime. It is said that it had become.
A law passed in 2014 prohibited cities from memorializing ICE detainees if someone was suspected of or convicted of a crime unless certain exceptions were met, Sonnberg said. said at a press conference. This policy was subsequently strengthened in 2017.
“There was a bar, and the operation of these two laws essentially placed strong limits on the city’s ability to cooperate with federal authorities or even notify federal authorities,” she said.
He said the policy is for City Council members to “review,” but New York City Speaker Adrian Adams’ office has made it clear that won’t happen.
A representative for Speaker Adams referred the Post to the council president’s Feb. 8 statement in which he said there were no plans to revisit the sanctuary law.
“Her response has not changed,” the spokesperson said in an email.
In recent weeks, immigrants in the Big Apple have been charged with assaulting two police officers in Times Square, a large-scale robbery on a moped, and a shooting that injured a tourist.
The policy has also come under fire after immigrant Jose Antonio Ibarra was arrested this month in connection with the murder of Georgia college student Laken Riley. Ybarra, who entered the country illegally, was arrested in Queens last year for allegedly riding a scooter with a child not wearing a helmet or using a required child seat.
He was charged with a felony, released before ICE could take him into custody, and then headed to Georgia, officials said.
Adams said Tuesday that minority immigrants should not be allowed to “hide” under the current set of laws.
“I believe that New Yorkers should be safe and that immigrants and asylum seekers who are doing the right thing should not be caught up in the mix of people who are doing the wrong thing,” he said. said.
Nolan Hicks contributed reporting.
