Mayor Eric Adams: NYC will work with Trump border czar to target 'dangerous individuals' in the country illegally
New York Mayor Eric Adams, right, meeting with President-elect Donald Trump's incoming "border czar" Tom Homan, left, and President Joe Biden's Department of Homeland Security Official Kenneth Genalo at Gracie Mansion on Thursday Credit: AP/Michael Appleton
New York City will work with federal authorities to identify and deport immigrants who are in the country illegally and convicted of committing violent crimes, Mayor Eric Adams said after meeting with incoming border czar Tom Homan on Thursday.
"We're going to protect the rights of immigrants in this city that are hardworking, giving back to the city in a real way," Adams said after the meeting at City Hall. "We're not going to be a safe haven for those who commit repeated violent crimes against innocent migrants, immigrants and long-standing New Yorkers."
We're going to "go after those individuals who are repeatedly committing crimes in our city," he said.
The mayor’s meeting with Homan comes as President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to order mass deportations of immigrants living in the United States illegally.
The two-hour meeting Thursday included Homan and a member of the Biden administration, Adams said.
"His goal is the same goal I have. We cannot allow dangerous individuals to commit repeated violent acts of violence in our cities across America," Adams said. "I’ve stated over and over again, long before this election, that this cannot be a safe haven. You have a right, a privilege to live in this country and those who commit acts of violence are violating that privilege."
Adams has sought to roll back New York City’s "sanctuary city" laws, passed under former Mayor Bill de Blasio, that curtail city officials' ability to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
Adams said the city’s sanctuary rules are determined by the City Council, which has voted to uphold them. But he said he would look at using executive orders to bypass those restrictions in the case of immigrants who are here illegally and are repeat criminal offenders.
New York City officials can currently communicate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, following convictions on 170 serious crimes, Adams said.
Adams said NYPD officers shouldn’t be restricted from working with federal law enforcement.
"We have an obligation and responsibility to keep people safe in this city and all law enforcement should play a role in that and we should not handcuff law enforcement for carrying out their job," Adams said.
Before Adams met with Homan on Thursday afternoon, Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams joined immigrant advocacy organizations and elected officials outside City Hall to demonstrate in support of immigrant rights in the face of what he called threats from the incoming president and ambivalence from the mayor.
"I’m asking President [Joe] Biden to use the time and power he has left in order to enact common sense protections" for immigrants, Williams said in a statement. "We have a moral mandate to do what we can, with what we have, to stand up for people under threat."
Earlier this week, Adams announced the closure of 25 migrant shelters, including the tent encampment at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn.
Separately, the state is reducing the number of National Guard members deployed to help New York City manage the crisis from more than 2,000 to 800.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office said Thursday that New York City officials notified the state that number of National Guard members were no longer needed after Biden took action in August that has reduced the number of migrants arriving weekly in New York City by 82%.
New York City will work with federal authorities to identify and deport immigrants who are in the country illegally and convicted of committing violent crimes, Mayor Eric Adams said after meeting with incoming border czar Tom Homan on Thursday.
"We're going to protect the rights of immigrants in this city that are hardworking, giving back to the city in a real way," Adams said after the meeting at City Hall. "We're not going to be a safe haven for those who commit repeated violent crimes against innocent migrants, immigrants and long-standing New Yorkers."
We're going to "go after those individuals who are repeatedly committing crimes in our city," he said.
The mayor’s meeting with Homan comes as President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to order mass deportations of immigrants living in the United States illegally.
The two-hour meeting Thursday included Homan and a member of the Biden administration, Adams said.
"His goal is the same goal I have. We cannot allow dangerous individuals to commit repeated violent acts of violence in our cities across America," Adams said. "I’ve stated over and over again, long before this election, that this cannot be a safe haven. You have a right, a privilege to live in this country and those who commit acts of violence are violating that privilege."
Adams has sought to roll back New York City’s "sanctuary city" laws, passed under former Mayor Bill de Blasio, that curtail city officials' ability to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
Adams said the city’s sanctuary rules are determined by the City Council, which has voted to uphold them. But he said he would look at using executive orders to bypass those restrictions in the case of immigrants who are here illegally and are repeat criminal offenders.
New York City officials can currently communicate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, following convictions on 170 serious crimes, Adams said.
Adams said NYPD officers shouldn’t be restricted from working with federal law enforcement.
"We have an obligation and responsibility to keep people safe in this city and all law enforcement should play a role in that and we should not handcuff law enforcement for carrying out their job," Adams said.
Before Adams met with Homan on Thursday afternoon, Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams joined immigrant advocacy organizations and elected officials outside City Hall to demonstrate in support of immigrant rights in the face of what he called threats from the incoming president and ambivalence from the mayor.
"I’m asking President [Joe] Biden to use the time and power he has left in order to enact common sense protections" for immigrants, Williams said in a statement. "We have a moral mandate to do what we can, with what we have, to stand up for people under threat."
Earlier this week, Adams announced the closure of 25 migrant shelters, including the tent encampment at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn.
Separately, the state is reducing the number of National Guard members deployed to help New York City manage the crisis from more than 2,000 to 800.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office said Thursday that New York City officials notified the state that number of National Guard members were no longer needed after Biden took action in August that has reduced the number of migrants arriving weekly in New York City by 82%.
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
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