Gov. Cuomo: President Trump has no plans to send federal agents to NYC
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Despite threats from the White House, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Thursday that President Donald Trump told him federal agents will not currently be sent to New York City.
Cuomo also said that Trump told him he would discuss the deployment of agents with him before making any future decisions.
"The president has suggested he would send federal agents to New York City," Cuomo said. "I spoke to the president about it, and I don't believe there's any justification to send federal troops or federal agents to New York City, and I told him that."
New York State will continue to closely monitor the federal government for any changes in policy.
"There is no federal property that is in danger that could justify the federal government having to send agents," Cuomo said. "Constitutional law is clear on this. The nation does not have a federal police force to deploy at their discretion. Policing is left up to the states. The president and I had a good conversation. He said he would not be sending troops into New York City. He did not say period, ad infinitum, but he said that we would talk before he did anything."
Related: Trump plans to deploy agents with tactical gear to other cities after Portland: Can he do that?
Earlier this week, Mayor Bill de Blasio said he would take legal action if Trump were to follow through on the threat.
"I have to start by saying this president blusters and bluffs and says he's going to do things and they never materialize on a regular basis," de Blasio said. "It would only create more problems. It would backfire, it wouldn't make us safer, and we would immediately take action in court to stop it."
State and local authorities in Oregon have charged in a lawsuit that masked federal officers have arrested people in Portland with no probable cause and whisked them away in unmarked cars. Trump defended the actions of the federal officers in Portland on Monday and said he would send officers to other cities including New York as well.
Related: Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler tear gassed by federal agents at courthouse protest
"From my point of view, this would be yet another example of illegal and unconstitutional actions by the president," de Blasio said. "And we have often had to confront him in court, and we usually win."
----------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
