NEW YORK CITY–Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said on Thursday that she does not believe the city’s sanctuary laws should be changed. This comes as Mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly stated he wishes to change some of those laws.
Speaker Adams also announced she has no issue with Mayor Adams speaking with future border czar Tom Homan: “The mayor should meet with anyone that he needs to meet with, particularly when it comes to, you know, important issues pertaining to safety in our city.”
The two Democrats have a history of disagreement, but deportation and illegal immigrant protection are things not commonly disagreed upon in the party.
Speaker Adams stated, “We have no plan to change the law as it stands right now. The city doesn’t interfere in the criminal legal process, nor the federal immigration law.”
She added that the sanctuary city laws don’t impede Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or prevent them from performing their duties.
“I think that the larger question is to question ICE and their responsibility,” the speaker said.
New York’s sanctuary city laws specify that the police department cannot honor “detainer requests” from ICE, with exceptions if the person recently committed a violent or serious crime, is on a federal terrorist watch list, or if ICE has a judicial warrant for the individual.
“I still firmly believe that the laws that are here in New York, I believe that they can work if enforcement is indeed a priority,” Speaker Adams said.
Mayor Adams has specified that he wants to get criminal illegal immigrants out of the city. He maintains his opposition to mass deportations.
A meeting between Homan and Mayor Adams was announced on Dec. 3. Mayor Adams stated that he couldn’t give any solid plan concerning illegal immigrants until he had a better idea of what the Trump administration plans.
“I’m not going to speculate on what the plans are. ... I would like to speak with our border czar and find out what his plans are, where our common grounds are. We can work together.”
The meeting with Homan is also part of Mayor Adams’ plan to cooperate closely with the incoming administration.
“And I made it clear that I’m not going to be warring with this administration,” Mayor Adams said. “I’m going to be working with this administration.”
