New York City Mayor Eric Adams said his office is considering options for bypassing the Democratic-controlled City Council to more freely crack down on criminal illegal immigrants. .
Adams believes the City Council has “made clear” it has no interest in repealing the Sanctuary City Act and is currently taking executive action to further strengthen local cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The company is reportedly considering sunday interview He told local news outlets: Democratic mayor who managed the ongoing immigration crisis and whose rhetoric has since shifted to the right beaten He is also expected to meet soon with President-elect Donald Trump's border czar Tom Homan, who has been indicted on bribery charges. (Related article: President Trump is reportedly committed to countries refusing to take back illegal immigrants)
“I was saying we have to deal with people who are committing crimes in our city,” Adams told CBS News New York. “And current sanctuary city laws should be amended to address this issue.”
“Well, the City Council has made it clear they don’t want to change that,” the mayor continued. “They said they weren't going to change the Sanctuary City Act. I think they're wrong. I'm having my team monitor my authority as an executive order.”
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 6: ICE agents monitor hundreds of asylum seekers being processed as they enter the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in New York City on June 6, 2023. New York City has provided sanctuary to more than 46,000 asylum seekers since 2013, when it passed a law barring city officials from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement agencies unless they have a warrant for their arrest. (Photo courtesy of :David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
“Hard arguments are good, but actions speak louder,” Democratic Councilman Robert Holden said in a statement in early December, responding to Mr. Adams' announcement that he would meet with Mr. Homan. Holden criticized the mayor for not paving the way for repealing the sanctuary law through the Charter Revision Commission and called on the mayor to demonstrate commitment to the issue by reopening the Rikers Island jail facility to ICE officers.
Established in early 2024 by the Mayor's Office, the commission will analyze pressing issues facing the city, listen to citizen input, and decide what referendums to send directly to voters in the November election. was tasked with making the final decision. Despite lobbying from moderate lawmakers, the commission chose not to include a referendum on the city's sanctuary law.
Former Mayor Bill de Blasio, 2014 signed into law The bill would significantly prevent New York City police from cooperating with federal immigration authorities, he said. enacted law In 2018, we further strengthened this policy. A key element of de Blasio's sanctuary city expansion was the removal of ICE agents from Rikers Island, the main prison facility in the Bronx.
Calls for these laws to be repealed are growing as New York City continues to grapple with its illegal immigration crisis and high-profile immigration-related crimes make headlines. But a bill introduced in early 2024 by a group of moderate City Council members that would have done just that has no effect because the City Council is filled with liberal Democrats who support sanctuary city policies. I couldn't get it.
It is estimated that tens of thousands of illegal immigrants live in the Big Apple, but Adams reiterated that he is only interested in using his authority to remove those involved in violent crimes.
“As I said almost a year ago, I want to look at the people who are committing serious violent felonies in our city,” the mayor explained to CBS New York. “As the City Council has made clear, we are not going to change the Sanctuary City Act to allow ICE to go after dangerous criminals. Once they make that clear, I will move forward with Plan B and make my I said, what are my options and what are my privileges?”
“And I want to sit down with the Border Czar and say this is my concern. And I'm looking at ways to use enforcement powers to go after people who are dangerous, dangerous and violent.” ” he continued.
While Adams has expressed dissatisfaction with sanctuary city policies and expressed a desire to work with federal immigration authorities, some believe the mayor is just barking without chewing.
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