Mayor Eric Adams may be refusing to speak out about President Donald Trump, but his administration is not. 

“One of the biggest concerns we have in New York City is our immigrant communities going further into the shadows because they are afraid of their government, their local government, and they will not come forward if they believe they're going to be deported," Manny Castro, commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, said.

On Thursday, Castro announced the city filed an amicus brief supporting a lawsuit aimed at blocking Trump’s push to end birthright citizenship.

“Removing this fundamental right for immigrants, birthright citizenship will be another thing that causes anxiety and fear amongst our immigrant communities," he said.

Birthright citizenship is spelled out in the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, passed after the Civil War. Under it, anyone born in the United States is a citizen, including — the Supreme Court has ruled — children born to undocumented mothers. 

Trump is seeking to end the constitutional right, arguing there should be stricter standards. 

This issue is personal for Castro.

“As someone who came here when I was a child and grew up undocumented in this city, so I certainly am concerned about everything our communities are going through," he said. “If anything, I hope this inspires others to fight for their communities, to continue to move forward, despite difficult times.” 

Castro’s public criticism of the Trump administration is in juxtaposition to the mayor, who has been somewhat cooperating with the president on immigration enforcement. 

Adams plans to bring U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement back onto Rikers Island, a move that has led to a lawsuit. 

Castro would not take any questions on the Rikers plan but said this about pushing back against Trump, “I hope this sends a strong message to our immigrant communities. New York City is here for them and we’re here to protect their fundamental rights."

The commissioner also weighed in on the election of the first American-born pope. Castro hopes Pope Leo XIV continues to be a champion for immigrants. 

“I look forward to learning more about our new pope and look forward to making sure that the dignity and humanity of all immigrants, of all people, continue to be uplifted," he said.

Currently, Trump’s order to end birthright citizenship is on hold amid a slew of lawsuits. The Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in the case this month. 

"For more than 150 years, the U.S. Constitution has guaranteed that anyone born on American soil has a right to citizenship, and any action to undermine that directly opposes everything we stand for in New York City and across the country," The Adams administration said in a statement about filing the amicus. "As Mayor Adams always says, no law-abiding New Yorker should ever feel afraid to call the police, send their children to school, or go to the hospital. When people do feel that fear, all of us are less safe."

"As stated in the amicus brief that New York City has joined, the federal government's move to deny citizenship to children who were born in the United States would have detrimental effects on public safety, education rates, and health, while also harming our city's local economy and undermining who we are as a people. New York City has therefore joined an amicus brief that explains all of these impacts to the court," the statement continued.