Overview
- Following his win, coverage notes that Mamdani cannot change state prostitution laws but can influence how offenses are enforced in New York City.
- His campaign has aligned with a de Blasio-era approach that would end raids on sex workers and work with district attorneys to reduce prosecutions, according to a September statement.
- During debates, Mamdani said he has not called for legalization and has not urged nonenforcement of misdemeanors, and reporting distinguishes decriminalization from legalization.
- Rivals Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa warn that the prostitution conditions on Queens’ Roosevelt Avenue could worsen and spread under his leadership.
- Federal and city officials say enforcement continues on the corridor, with the FBI active in the area and the NYPD citing Operation Roosevelt, a 34.7% year-to-date crime drop and nearly 3,900 arrests, including 549 tied to prostitution.