Overview

• An executive order signed by First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro permits ICE and other federal agencies to reopen offices on Rikers Island for criminal investigations.
• This decision reverses a 2014 de Blasio-era sanctuary law that barred immigration enforcement from NYC jails.
• The order aims to improve coordination between federal and local law enforcement to address violent crime and gang activity.
• The move follows pressure from Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, and coincides with the recent dismissal of a federal corruption case against Mayor Adams, raising allegations of a quid pro quo.
• Critics, including City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, have condemned the decision, citing concerns over due process and the potential erosion of sanctuary city protections.