New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday he will allow federal immigration officials to operate at the city’s Rikers Island jail and take additional steps to assist the Trump administration in arresting and deporting violent criminals who are in the United States unlawfully.
Adams made the announcement following a closed-door meeting on the same day with Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s border czar, who has been tasked with leading Trump’s large-scale deportation initiative. The meeting, held at a federal office building in Manhattan, came as the Trump administration pushes for more help detaining and deporting illegal immigrants accused of serious crimes, a strategy Homan has termed “worst first.”
In a statement issued after the meeting, Adams said he will sign an executive order reestablishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents’ ability to operate at Rikers Island, a maximum-security prison. These agents will work with the correctional intelligence bureau, focusing on criminal investigations related to violent offenders and gangs.
Adams and Homan also discussed ways to embed more New York Police Department detectives into federal task forces to combat violent gang activity.
“Keeping the 8.3 million New Yorkers who call our city home safe is—and will always remain—our administration’s North Star,” Adams stated. He expressed his willingness to work with the Trump administration—”not war with them"—to address issues like illegal immigration as a way to improve the lives of New Yorkers.ICE has historically faced resistance in New York, where local laws limit cooperation between police and federal immigration enforcement. Under existing policies, city jails are barred from holding individuals wanted for civil immigration violations beyond their scheduled release. New York City has also implemented measures restricting ICE’s access to public schools and other municipal properties.
While acknowledging the role immigrants have played in shaping New York City’s economy, Adams called for reform of the “long-broken immigration system.” He noted that the surge of illegal immigrants under the Biden administration has placed an unsustainable burden on the city.
“Since the spring of 2022, New York City has been forced to shoulder the burden of a national humanitarian crisis where more than 230,000 migrants have come to our city seeking support, at a cost of approximately $7 billion, with little help from the previous administration,” Adams said.
Earlier this week, the Justice Department directed federal prosecutors in Manhattan to dismiss corruption charges against Adams, citing prosecutorial mishandling and concerns about the case’s impact on Adams’ ability to assist in federal immigration enforcement efforts.
Prosecutors indicted Adams in October 2024, accusing him of accepting over $100,000 in campaign contributions and luxury gifts from foreign nationals in exchange for political favors.
The allegations include bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy, and falsifying financial records, with potential penalties including fines, prison time, and disqualification from public office.
However, the charges against Adams remained in effect on Thursday after the interim U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, who was leading the case, refused to dismiss them and subsequently resigned.
Adams has denied any wrongdoing.
