New York City is run by a Democrat-dominated city council and new reports show Mayor Eric Adams will try and pursue different options not involving the council in order to aid in the crack down on illegal immigrant criminals on the streets.
Mayor Adams has recently stated that the NYC council has “made it clear” they will not be removing any sanctuary city laws so he is exploring options to maneuver around the council in order to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The mayor has changed his tune on the immigration crisis at the border ever since the border states began sending migrants to NYC, overrunning their social programs and housing. Adams is set to meet with the incoming border czar, Tom Homan, to discuss ways in which the city can work together to end the crisis.
“I was saying those who are committing crimes in our city must be addressed,” Adams told CBS News New York during an interview over the weekend. “And we should change the current sanctuary city law to address that issue.”
“Well, the City Council made it clear they don’t want to change that,” he said. “They stated they’re not willing to change the sanctuary city law. I think they’re wrong. I have my teams looking at my power as executive orders.”
In response to Mayor Adams exploring his options on executive orders, Democrat Council Member Robert Holden said, “Tough talk is good, but actions speak louder.” Holden questioned the mayor’s commitment to the illegal migrant crisis because he hasn’t put forth a way to repeal the sanctuary laws through his Charter Revision Commission but would encourage him to take action by reopening Rikers Island prison to allow ICE agents to detain criminals for deportation.
Former NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2014 signed a law blocking the New York Police Department from helping ICE agents, creating the sanctuary city and essentially evicting ICE from Rikers Island.
Citizens of NYC have felt the influx of migrants into their community and calls for rollback of the sanctuary status have grown larger. Since the city council is comprised mainly of liberal Democrats, removing sanctuary city policies are not likely changing.
Mayor Adams reiterated his desire to help ICE agents remove criminal illegal migrants involved in violent crimes.
“As I stated almost a year ago, I want to look at those who are committing serious violent felonies in our city,” he said. “Once the City Council made it clear, we’re not changing the sanctuary city laws to allow ICE to go after those dangerous offenders. Once they made that clear, I went to plan B and said, what are my options and my powers?”
“And I want to be able to sit down with the Border czar, and say, here’s my concern. And we’re looking at ways that I could use my executive power to go after those dangerous, dangerous, violent people.”