A automobile carrying Mayor Eric Adams leaves following a gathering with President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan, in Decrease Manhattan, Feb. 13, 2025.
REUTERS/Jeenah Moon
“Today, I met with ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan and local federal law enforcement officials to discuss how we can work together to remove violent migrant gangs from our city,” Adams mentioned. “We also discussed ways to embed more NYPD detectives into federal task forces, focusing on these violent gangs and criminal activity. … Keeping the 8.3 million New Yorkers who call our city home safe is — and will always remain — our administration’s North Star.”
The bombshell revelation that ICE would as soon as once more have the ability to function on Rikers for the primary time in 10 years (the town closed its workplace there in 2015) got here simply days after Trump’s Justice Division moved to dismiss his federal corruption case. The transfer will possible invite lawsuits from authorized providers suppliers and immigrant advocates.
Earlier than the assembly, Adams’ crew mentioned he would communicate to Homan about the $80 million in migrant disaster support that the feds clawed again from the town on Wednesday. Adams, in a Pix11 interview following the assembly, mentioned he was not completely satisfied concerning the clawback.
Adams’ assembly with Homan comes simply days after Trump’s Justice Division requested Manhattan federal prosecutors to drop his felony corruption case in a bombshell memo, partially so he might deal with implementing Trump’s immigration crackdown within the metropolis. The DOJ moved to drop the fees with out prejudice, giving it the power to resurrect Adams’ case at any time, which his critics say quantities to him being at Trump’s mercy.
It additionally follows Adams’ administration’s combined messaging on how municipal staff ought to deal with federal immigration authorities requesting entry to metropolis property and knowledge, which is restricted below the town’s sanctuary legal guidelines.
Adams’ assembly with Homan came about at 26 Federal Plaza, within the Division of Homeland Safety’s workplace. Adams arrived in a black unmarked car and didn’t take reporters’ questions instantly earlier than or after the session.
‘Significant first step’
One group that can possible be pleased with Adams’ transfer is the Metropolis Council’s Republican and conservative Democratic members. A bunch of them met with Homan proper earlier than Adams, revealing that he instructed them Adams had not delivered on guarantees he made to crack down on migrants accused of committing crimes throughout their final assembly in December.
Council Member Robert Holden (D-Queens) mentioned in a press release following the assembly that the ability reopening is a “significant first step.”
“But more must be done to show that Mayor Adams truly prioritizes public safety,” Holden mentioned. “While this is progress, we must go further to ensure New York City is no longer a safe haven for criminals.”
The lawmaker mentioned that Homan instructed the group he would maintain Adams “accountable” for guarantees he beforehand made.
“He just said that he’s going to hold the mayor responsible for things he said prior, the last meeting they had, that he didn’t deliver on,” Holden instructed reporters outdoors Federal Plaza.
Metropolis Council Member Robert Holden, together with different conservative council members, speaks to reporters following a gathering with President Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan. Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025.Picture By Dean Moses
Holden didn’t specify which guarantees Homan alleged Adams had didn’t hold. He added that the border czar conveyed to Adams that he would face unspecified penalties for not complying.
Additionally current on the assembly had been Council Members Joann Ariola (R-Queens), Vickie Paladino (R-Queens), and Kristy Marmorato (R-Bronx).
The council members claimed that Adams has the authority to droop the town’s sanctuary legal guidelines, which bar the town from working with federal immigration authorities in lots of cases. Nonetheless, Metropolis Council Speaker Adrienne Adams mentioned that that is one thing that Adams doesn’t have the authorized authority to do.
‘An arm and a pawn’
On the identical time, Adams’ assembly with Homan rankled a lot of his fellow Democrats, together with his main challengers.
Speaker Adams mentioned there are “serious concerns” concerning the mayor complying with the town’s sanctuary legal guidelines based mostly on his “rhetoric and actions” and the DOJ memo requesting his costs get dismissed.
Scott Stringer denounced Mayor Eric Adams’ assembly with President Trump’s boarder Czar Tom Homan on Feb 13, 2025.Picture by Lloyd Mitchell
Former metropolis Comptroller Scott Stringer, who’s operating towards Adams, charged that the timing of Adams’ assembly with Homan was “no coincidence.”
“[Homan] is here to collect and it’s of a tremendous consequence to New Yorkers and in particular, immigrant communities, who are the backbone of this city,” Stringer mentioned throughout a press convention held similtaneously Adams’ assembly with Homan.
“The President sees the mayor right now as an arm and a pawn,” Stringer added. “He looks at this opportunity to use New York City as the proving ground for mass deportations.”
Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, charged that Adams has finished little to stop the Trump administration from unleashing federal immigration authorities throughout the town.
“The Adams administration needs to do more to comply with our sanctuary local laws and policies,” Awawdeh mentioned in a press release. “Now is the time that he should stand with the City Council in condemning these unwarranted attacks on New York City’s values and our families.”
