Mayor Eric Adams has finally expressed his support for revising New York City’s sanctuary city laws, advocating for amendments that would streamline the process of deporting migrants who illegally entered the country claiming asylum and were later arrested for criminal activities.
The mayor’s recent statement aligns more closely with most New Yorkers’ viewpoints, especially in light of the city’s escalating migrant crisis, and represents a departure from the city’s long-standing policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Since the 1980s, New York City’s sanctuary mandate has prevented the use of city resources to assist in the detention and deportation of immigrants.
These laws were designed to protect the rights of immigrants, ensuring that city employees and agencies do not participate in immigration enforcement unless an individual has been convicted of a serious or violent crime.
However, Adams proposes a return to practices adopted under former Mayors Michael Bloomberg and Ed Koch, where the city could detain immigrants suspected of crimes for federal authorities, expanding beyond the current limitation to convicted individuals.
“I want to go back to the standards of the previous mayors who I believe subscribed to my belief that people who are suspected of committing serious crimes in this city should be held accountable,” Adams stated during a media briefing at City Hall on Tuesday, February 27th.
The mayor’s proposal has sparked a debate on the balance between public safety and the rights of migrants who illegally walked over the border, with Adams emphasizing, “They didn’t give due process to the person that they shot or punched or killed.”
Critics, including the city’s six largest public defender groups, argue that Adams’ proposal undermines due process and the orderly administration of justice.
They state that existing laws already allow for federal immigration enforcement without municipal assistance and that any changes could endanger New Yorkers by fostering fear among immigrant communities.
Adams’ push for legal modifications comes amid a surge of migrants into the city, with more than 170,000 arrivals since Spring 2022.
This influx has strained city resources and reignited debates over the sanctuary city status, particularly following crime incidents involving migrants that have been seized upon by conservative commentators as justification for policy changes.
Despite the controversy, the likelihood of Adams’ proposal passing through the City Council seems low. Council Speaker Adrienne Adams previously stated there are “no plans” to adjust the sanctuary laws.
Mayor Adams does have the power to sign an Executive Order to allow the New York Police Department to report migrants arrested to federal immigration authorities.
