Particle.news
Download on the App Store
7 ARTICLES
·
2mo ago

NYC Reopens Rikers Island to Federal Immigration Officials for Criminal Investigations

Executive order signed by First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro reverses a decade-long sanctuary policy, with Mayor Adams recusing himself to avoid quid pro quo allegations.

FILE - The Rikers Island jail complex stands in New York with the Manhattan skyline in the background June 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Image
Image
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and President Donald Trump's "border czar" Tom Homan appear in the Manhattan studio of "Fox & Friends" on Feb. 14, 2025.

Overview

  • Federal agencies, including ICE and the FBI, are now authorized to operate on Rikers Island to coordinate criminal investigations and share intelligence on violent gangs and drug trafficking.
  • The executive order explicitly limits federal activity to criminal cases, excluding civil immigration enforcement or deportation actions.
  • This decision reverses a 2014 sanctuary city policy that barred federal immigration operations in NYC jails, marking a significant policy shift under Mayor Adams' administration.
  • Mayor Eric Adams recused himself from the decision-making process following the recent dismissal of his federal corruption case to avoid the appearance of a quid pro quo.
  • Critics, including City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, have raised concerns about potential political motivations and the impact on immigrant communities' trust in law enforcement.