[Karah Rucker]
A DECADES OLD DEBATE IS BEING RENEWED IN THE BIG APPLE.
MAYOR ERIC ADAMS IS EXPLORING WAYS TO GET AROUND **CURRENT LAWS TO DEPORT UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT ALIGNS WITH PRESIDENT ELECT DONALD TRUMP’S PLAN FOR MASS DEPORTATION ONCE HE’S IN OFFICE.
AN ORDER MAYOR ADAMS SAID HE’S WILLING TO FOLLOW TO UPHOLD PUBLIC SAFETY DURING AN INTERVIEW ON SUNDAY.
(ERIC ADAMS: “we have to deal with the small number of violent offenders who are making their way into our country. In particular, it’s a very dangerous Venezuelan gang. It is not the overwhelming number of migrants and asylum seekers.”)
NEW YORK CITY HAS BEEN BOUND BY SANCUTARY POLICIES SINCE THE EIGHTIES WITH THE LAW BEING CEMENTED IN 2014 TO PROTECT UNDOCUMENTED INDIVIDUALS FROM FEDERAL INTERVENTION UNLESS THEY ARE CONVICTED OF A SERIOUS CRIME.
ESSENTIALLY PREVENTING CITY RESOURCES FROM BEING USED TO WORK WITH AGENCIES TO DEPORT IMMIGRANTS.
A PROPOSAL FROM ADAMS WOULD OPEN THE DOOR FOR COOPERATION WITH ICE AGENTS AND CHANGE THE SANCTUARY LAW…SOMETHING THE MAJORITY OF CITY COUNCIL SAYS THEY ARE AGAINST THE MOVE. ONE MEMBER NOTING, THE LAW ALLOWS FOR DUE PROCESS TO TAKE PLACE.
(ERIC ADAMS: “ Once the City Council made it clear, we’re not changing the sanctuary city laws to allow ICE to go after those dangerous offenders. Once they made that clear, I went to plan B and said, what are my options and my powers?” )
A CITY HALL SPOKESPERSON SAID **ONLY THE COUNCIL HAS THE AUTHORITY TO REVOKE THE POLICIES…AND IF THE MAYOR TRIES HE WOULD BE BREAKING THE LAW.
AS MAYOR ADAMS LOOKS FOR WAYS TO USE HIS EXECUTIVE POWER…HE’S PREPARING TO MEET WITH TRUMP’S INCOMING BORDER CZAR ABOUT NEW YORK’S ESTIMATED 400 THOUSAND MIGRANT POPULATION. ADAMS SAYS THE CITY SPENDSBILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO HOUSE AND FEED THEM.
(ERIC ADAMS: “People would demonize me because I’m trying to be honest and I’m not going to try to find the right soundbite when I know what happens when you don’t do right for everyday people.”)
ADAMS RECENT COMMENTS HAVE FACED SOME RECOIL FROM CITY LEADERS AND LAWMAKERS…MANY STATING THE MAYOR HAS BEEN A SUPPORTER OF THE SANCTUARY LAW BUT RECENTLY FLIP FLOPPED ON THE ISSUE TO REMOVE CRIMINALS.
QUEENS COUNCILMAN ROBERT HOLDEN SAID THE MAYOR COULD HAVE AMENDED CURRENT LAWS, BUT CHOSE NOT TO.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M KARAH RUCKER.