New York City Council Initiates Lawsuit Against Mayor Over ICE Involvement at Rikers Island

New York City Council Initiates Lawsuit Against Mayor Over ICE Involvement at Rikers Island

The Democrat-majority city council of New York City has launched a lawsuit against Mayor Eric Adams, challenging his collaboration with the Trump administration that permits the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to conduct immigration investigations at Rikers Island Prison.

This legal action seeks to have a court declare the executive order from the mayor’s office, which allows ICE access to Rikers Island, as illegal and void.

The city council filed the lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court on Tuesday. In their legal complaint, the council accuses Adams of entering into an improper agreement with the Trump administration by permitting ICE access to the city’s prison facilities in exchange for dropping federal corruption allegations against him.

The lawsuit asserts that Adams, who is campaigning for re-election as an independent candidate, has prioritized personal political ambitions over the city’s celebrated sanctuary laws. The council refers to the executive order as a direct result of Mayor Adams’s questionable deal with the Trump administration.

Details of the Lawsuit and Executive Order

The complaint details how the city council perceives the executive order, which was signed by New York City’s First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro just last week. It permits federal immigration officials to establish a presence at Rikers Island to aid in combating drug trafficking, organized violence, and gang activity that is impacting the city.

The mayor’s order claims that the safety of residents in New York City has been endangered by violent, transnational gangs such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, organizations considered as foreign terrorist groups by the previous administration. Thus, the order states that it is crucial for federal law enforcement to share real-time intelligence with local corrections and law enforcement agencies.

This directive allows federal authorities to exchange intelligence with both the corrections department and the New York Police Department regarding criminal gang activities involving incarcerated individuals and those outside of custody.

Clarification of the Executive Order’s Reach

Importantly, this order does not grant ICE the authority to conduct civil immigration enforcement or arrest individuals solely based on their immigration status.

The mayor issued this order shortly after federal charges against him were dismissed. He previously faced allegations of misusing his official position to receive luxurious travel and illegal campaign funds from foreign nationals from Turkey. Adams stated that these charges stemmed from a politically motivated agenda aimed at retaliating for his outspoken criticism of President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.

City Council’s Position

New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, a Democrat challenging Eric Adams for the mayor’s office, issued a statement claiming that the order allowing ICE to conduct immigration investigations at Rikers Island represents a blatant effort by Eric Adams to fulfill an unspoken bargain for favorable treatment he received from the Trump administration.

She emphasized that the city council’s lawsuit aims to safeguard the rights and safety of all New Yorkers from actions initiated by the Trump administration, which she believes the mayor is prioritizing over the welfare of the city’s residents.

Response from Mayor’s Office

Kayla Mamelak, a spokesperson for Mayor Adams, responded to the lawsuit by labeling it as unfounded and counterproductive to the public interest.

She stated that the city council seems to be disseminating misinformation. To keep the trust of the nearly 8.5 million residents Adams serves daily, he designated First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro to handle decisions related to federal investigations at Rikers Island.

Mamelak further explained that Mastro performed an in-depth evaluation that included visits to the facility, discussions with both federal law enforcement and the Department of Correction personnel, concluding that the federal presence is necessary for conducting investigations into criminal matters to protect public safety.

The spokesperson iterated that Executive Order 50 is legally endorsed by the local laws established by the City Council. As the city prepares to review this lawsuit, Mamelak described it as groundless and not representative of the community’s interest in protecting New Yorkers from violent offenders.

Mamelak concluded her statement by reinforcing the administration’s commitment to crime reduction and public safety, underscoring the hope that the city council would cooperate in this mission.

Contributions to this report were made by Michael Dorgan of Fox News Digital.