Mayor Eric Adams met Thursday with President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming border czar, Tom Homan, at City Hall — and said afterward that he would seek a dual approach to protect hardworking immigrants in the Big Apple while driving out those who commit violent crime.
During the meeting with Homan, whom Trump appointed in early November, the mayor said he outlined the challenges the city faces regarding immigration and crime, noting ongoing conversations with federal authorities, including the incoming head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The mayor also revealed ongoing discussions with federal authorities, including the incoming head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to address crime in the city.
“We’re gonna protect the rights of immigrants in the city that are hardworking, given back to the city in a real way, but we will not be a safe haven for those who commit violent acts. We don’t do it for those who are citizens, and we’re not going to do it for those who are undocumented,” Adams said.
Also participating in the session with Adams and Homan was Kenneth Genalo, an official with the Department of Homeland Security under the outgoing Biden administration.
Sanctuary status
New York City’s status as a sanctuary city has been an area of contention between residents, community advocacy groups and city officials. Mayor Adams pushed for a repeal to the city’s sanctuary laws earlier this year, though he conceded Thursday that the City Council would be needed to overturn the sanctuary laws — which is not likely to happen.
Sanctuary laws limit local law enforcement interaction with ICE, including detainer requests, possible arrests, and prosecutions. Adams has often asserted the need for more partnership between local law enforcement and ICE.
In August, the Legal Aid Society critiqued one of Adams’ calls for a roll-back, claiming the law was vital to protecting immigrants from being deported without due process.
Adams admitted Thursday to previous failed approaches to addressing an influx of migrants to New York. He reaffirmed that the city will collaborate with law enforcement agencies to tackle violence without compromising the safety of law-abiding immigrants.
“We made terrible mistakes in the past by failing to keep our cities safe from those who are committing repeated acts of violence, particularly the dangerous gangs that we have witnessed in our city, and we’re not going to continue in that direction. Safety means everything to me,” he said. “My goal is to keep New York safe. That’s my only goal.”
When asked how he plans to ensure safety amongst New Yorkers, Adams pledged to assert his power of executive orders to target individuals who threaten the well-being of both citizens and undocumented individuals.
‘I have one agenda’
Homan, who is known for his strong stance towards addressing immigration, recently said Americans can expect deportation to start swiftly after Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Earlier this week, Homan said deportations will likely start in Chicago.
Meeting Homan alone proved to be a controversial act for some. Progressive lawmakers such as Queens state Sen. Jessica Ramos, a mayoral candidate in 2025, said that it undermined the confidence of immigrants in Mayor Adams to defend them from potential deportation.
“They do not have faith that our Mayor will stand up for us or work to keep families together,” Ramos said in a statement. “He has made it abundantly clear where he stands, saying migrants will destroy the city, spreading dangerous misinformation about immigrants’ constitutional rights, and cozying up to the incoming administration in the hopes that his corruption will be pardoned.”
Nevertheless, Adams reaffirmed that his goal was not to achieve mass deportation in New York, but to improve public safety.
“I have one agenda. I’ve never lied about the agenda: keeping New Yorkers safe,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if there are documented or undocumented individuals because some of the criminal aspects in this city are preying on migrants, asylum seekers and undocumented individuals on many levels.”
Through his comments, Mayor Adams seemed to desire a balance between protecting the rights of immigrants and ensuring that dangerous individuals do not exploit the system.
“We cannot allow dangerous individuals who have committed repeated violent acts to remain in our cities across America. This can’t be a safe haven for violent individuals,” he said. “You have a right and privilege to live in this country, and those who want to commit acts of violence are violating that privilege.”
During the City Hall press conference after his meeting with Homan, Adams chose to keep his comments short and fielded about five questions from reporters. He prefaced the Q&A session by expressing frustration that his previous comments about his immigration policy had been distorted by some reporters.
