In a sign of increasing cooperation with Donald Trump’s anti-immigration plans, New York City’s Democratic mayor, Eric Adams, is weighing whether to allow the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (Ice) to re-establish an office at the city’s notorious Rikers Island jail.
Whether Adams has executive authority to reopen an Ice facility at Rikers remains unclear, but he discussed the possibility in a 12 December meeting with Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s “border czar”, who told the New York Post at the time that the mayor has done “a complete 180” on immigration policy in terms of being willing to cooperate with the federal government.
Meanwhile, a recently leaked Adams memo to all city agencies, including those overseeing schools, hospitals and shelters, appeared to allow Ice officers to enter previously restricted premises even without a warrant if staffers at the place being raided “reasonably feel threatened or fear for [their] safety or the safety of others”.
“We will not put a frontline worker in harm’s way and subject to arrest by federal officers simply by doing their job,” said the city’s corporation counsel, Muriel Goode-Trufant, who issued the video and flowchart with new guidelines that she said apply to many city agencies.
As some New Yorkers live in fear after recent Ice raids that have reportedly scooped up at least 100 residents, Adams has insisted that all New Yorkers should continue sending kids to school and using city services when needed.
