Adams, incoming 'Border Czar' Homan agree NYC can't be a 'safe haven' for migrants who commit crimes
NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York City Mayor Eric Adams met with incoming White House "Border Czar" Tom Homan at City Hall on Thursday to discuss immigration and deporting migrants.
Adams and Homan agreed that New York can't be a "safe haven" for immigrants who commit crimes, he said during a contentious post meeting briefing at City Hall.
The mayor said he is examining his executive powers to allow city law enforcement to work with federal immigration officials about criminal activity in the migrant community.
He said law enforcement agencies should be able to work together and "we need to unravel all of these rules and procedures and laws."
"New York remaining a Sanctuary City is determined by the City Council, they told you what their position is, I'm going to try to use my executive orders to go after dangerous people," he said.
Adams has been at odds with the current Biden administration's immigration policy as the city struggles with the influx of asylum seekers.
While New York City is by law a sanctuary city, the mayor has said he would like local law enforcement to work with federal immigration agents to identify, detain and ultimately deport migrants committing crimes.
Protesters stood outside in blustery conditions in front of City Hall on Thursday ahead of the mayor's meeting.
"This is a sanctuary city, and we're supposed to be here," said protester Gabrina Santa Maria.
Santa Maria is undocumented and has been in the U.S. since 1999, and acknowledged she was furious Adams decided to meet with someone who has promised to carry out Trump's campaign promises.
"New York is supposed to welcome immigrants," she said.
Adams says his meeting with Homan at Gracie Mansion showed they ultimately want the same thing: to keep cities safe.
"His goal is the same goal I have," added Adams. "We cannot allow dangerous acts of violence in our cities across America."
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said Adams recent rhetoric surrounding immigrants does little to quell concerns moving forward.
"It is clear that vulnerable New Yorkers cannot rely on this mayor to protect them," Williams said. "So we're asking President Biden in his last few days to use his time in power, left in order to enact common sense protections from both Donald Trump and from Mayor Eric Adams. We have a moral mandate to do what we can, what we have to stand up for people under threat."
Hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers made their way to the city over the past two years, costing taxpayers billions of dollars. Nearly 57,000 migrants are still in the city's care.
Ahead of the incoming Trump administration, the city announced earlier this week that it would be closing the giant complex at Floyd Bennett Field, which houses 2,000 migrants, in the coming months.
The site was built on federal land, and the city's actions appear to preempt concerns that the federal government could revoke the shelter's lease or attempt to raid the facility after Trump takes office.
The city announced it is closing 25 shelters by March due to a steady decline in arriving migrants.
The National Guard will also begin shutting down operations in city migrant shelters starting next week, Gov. Hochul and Mayor Adams' offices confirmed to ABC News.
"Governor Hochul initially deployed more than 2,000 members of the National Guard to provide logistical and operational support," a spokesperson for Gov. Hochul said. "Since August, when President Biden implemented executive action to address the border crisis, the number of migrants arriving in New York City each week has declined by 82%. For that reason, the City informed us they do not need the same amount of State assistance,and there are currently approximately 800 members of the National Guard participating in this mission.
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