New York City Mayor Eric Adams said his administration has been coordinating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deport illegal criminal migrants, despite the city’s sanctuary city laws. Adams, a Democrat, emphasized that migrants who commit violent crimes in the city will be dealt with by federal agencies.
“We already have task forces with federal partners,” Adams said. “There is a lot of room to work with ICE and at the same time comply with our sanctuary city law, which limits cooperation with federal immigration authorities.”
Adams pointed out that the law is clear regarding criminality, and he has made it clear that people who commit violent crimes must be addressed. New York City has experienced an unprecedented influx of illegal immigrants under the Biden administration, with over 225,000 migrants arriving since 2022.
The surge has also coincided with a sharp rise in migrant-related crime, while the bloodthirsty Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua has gained a foothold in the city. Adams said that the NYPD will also not be prevented from working with ICE in its deportation efforts.
ICE teams have begun the process of deporting some migrants, with a focus on public safety threats, according to Border “czar” Tom Homan. The administration has also reinstated the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), which requires migrants to stay in Mexico for the duration of their asylum hearings.
In a separate move, President Trump has designated international cartels and organizations, including MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT).
