The former assistant chief of New York's Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) office has announced that Mayor Eric Adams will reopen Rikers Island to the federal government, ensuring the “worst” illegal immigrant criminals, including murderers. And the rapist, who said it was a “critical” step, is off the street.
Adams said he has pledged to reopen Riker's previously scattered ice office after his latest meeting with President Trump's border emperor Tom Homan, and is preparing an executive order to do so.
Former assistant field office director Scott Mekkowski recalled when immigration agencies were granted by Riker, giving way to the “seamless” handoff of illegal immigrants who were released from local custody.
In 2014, Ice encountered an average of 3,200 illegal immigrant criminals through the Rikers program, said Mekakowski, who previously ran the agency's fugitive business program at the Big Apple.
“It was seamless. They were booked to prison, and we could identify them immediately and make sure they are people of interest, we dropped the detainees and The detainees were respected,” he said.
“The transition was very smooth. When they were released from Riker, they notified us in prison…and they just went from one custody to the next custody. ” added the 24-year ICE veteran.
Adams' moves marked a shift from previous immigration stances, hampering local governments' ability to work smoothly with the federal government.
“We are now working on implementing executive orders, like we did for 20 years, to reestablish the capabilities of Ice Agents to operate on Rikers Island,” Hezoner said.
“But now, instead, ICE agents are focusing specifically on supporting the Correction Intelligence Agency in criminal investigations that focus on violent criminals and gangs.”
At a December meeting with Homan before Trump took office, Adams was surprised to see the possibility of reopening the Rikers Ice Office.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is currently cracking down on sanctuary cities that ban local police officers from notifying the federal government of illegal immigrant criminals.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi denounced progressive sanctuary cities this week, already preventing ice from entering local prisons and receiving sophisticated notifications of the release of illegal immigrant criminals The law already sues New York and Chicago.
“This is a new DOJ,” Bondi told reporters. “New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. We'll stop. We'll stop today.”
The Trump administration also snatched back $80 million in New York City taxpayer funds to detain and care for immigrants.
