The Adams administration doubled down on their plans to bring the U.S.. Immigration and Customs Enforcement back onto Rikers Island after 10 years on Thursday.

“This is all about public safety and protecting New Yorkers from these violent gangs," Randy Mastro, the city’s new first deputy mayor, said. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Adams administration doubled down on their plans to bring ICE back onto Rikers Island after 10 years on Thursday

  • First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro insisted its about public safety and ridding the city of violent criminals than deportation, like some claim 

  • Critics, like the City Council, say the plan violates sanctuary laws. The council on Thursday passed a resolution that would allow the City Council speaker to sue the Adams administration over the plan 

Mastro insisted on Thursday that an executive order that will bring ICE back onto Rikers will not be about deportations but public safety. 

Under the city’s sanctuary law, city agencies cannot help immigration authorities with deportation efforts. 

Mastro argued the order is within the boundaries of the law. 

“There are no civil detainers that will be honored by the corrections department and the officials on Rikers Island because civil matters are excluded. It won’t happen, it can't happen," he said. “This is specifically about criminal activity occurring at Rikers in coordination with violent gang members outside of Rikers and its cooperation with federal authorities.”

Mastro was unable to provide a timeline, staffing or other details about ICE’s upcoming operations. 

Despite his claims, local lawmakers and immigration advocates have concerns. 

“If our communities see New York City colluding with this racist, bigoted, right-wing agenda, they will not trust our government. They will not trust our agencies,” Councilwoman Alexa Avilés said.

“Donald Trump, in partnership with one-term mayor Eric Adams, is attempting to push the line. First, they come after immigrants, but where will they stop?” Coucilman Chi Ossé said.

“This new executive order attempts to skirt the current city laws that prohibit ICE from cooperating with Rikers. If enacted, we would be opening the doors to ICE further terrorizing immigrant New Yorkers,” said Jennifer Hernandez, director of campaigns for Make The Road New York, said. 

Some critics allege the mayor has ulterior motives for the order outside of safety concerns.  

“Let’s be clear, Mayor Adams indicated his intention for this executive order when the Trump Administration attempted to dismiss the corruption case,” City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said. 

ICE was kicked off Rikers in 2015 after the City Council in two separate sessions passed sanctuary laws. 

“When I was speaker of the City Council, we heard numerous reports, almost endless reports of people being taken to Rikers and people who were not born in America or maybe perceived to have not been born in America were literally walked over to the ICE personnel on Rikers,” former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said.  

Quinn noted that the city already has the power to collaborate with ICE for 170 crimes or when a person has a history of criminal convictions. 

“There was no need to gut these rules. It's going to be like the wild, wild west now," she said.