NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Mayor Eric Adams announced plans to issue an executive order allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to operate on Rikers Island, following a meeting with border czar Tom Homan on Thursday at ICE headquarters in Manhattan.
The meeting began around 11:30 a.m. and lasted about an hour. Adams and Homan then departed separately through the federal building’s garage.
“We are now working on implementing an executive order that will reestablish the ability for ICE agents to operate on Rikers Island — as was the case for 20 years — but now, instead, ICE agents would specifically be focused on assisting the correctional intelligence bureau in their criminal investigations, in particular those focused on violent criminals and gangs,” Adams said in a statement.
Adams said that the new ICE presence would not be a broad crackdown on undocumented immigrants but rather a targeted effort to disrupt organized criminal networks operating in New York.
He also stated that city officials are considering embedding more NYPD detectives in federal task forces to improve intelligence-sharing and enforcement actions against violent gangs and criminal activity.
“Keeping the 8.3 million New Yorkers who call our city home safe is — and will always remain — our administration’s North Star,” Adams said.
“This is a significant first step, but more must be done to show that Mayor Adams truly prioritizes public safety,” Council Member Robert Holden said in a statement. “I first pitched the idea of reopening the ICE office in December, and I’m glad to see action finally being taken. Thank you to Tom Homan for his leadership on this issue. While this is progress, we must go further to ensure New York City is no longer a safe haven for criminals.”
The meeting follows rising tensions this week as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reclaimed over $80 million from New York City, officials said Wednesday. The move, part of an ongoing dispute between the Trump administration and the city over migrant shelter funding, came after a federal judge refused to block FEMA from withdrawing the money.
City Comptroller Brad Lander stated that $59 million was withdrawn overnight, followed by another $21.5 million. He said city officials were unaware the federal government had access to the city's bank account.
Adams, whose criminal corruption case was halted by the Justice Department in an unusual directive that officials say allows him to assist in Trump’s immigration crackdown, said the city is pursuing legal options.
City officials have contacted the White House, requested an emergency meeting with FEMA, and are exploring ways to recover the funds. Adams said he will discuss the matter with Homan during their meeting Thursday.
The grants, which were awarded under President Joe Biden's administration, were only disbursed last week, city officials said.
A lawsuit was also announced Wednesday by newly appointed Attorney General Pam Bondi, targeting New York’s immigration policies. Bondi accused state leaders of prioritizing “illegal aliens over American citizens.” She vowed the Justice Department would go after communities that resist federal immigration efforts.
“New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens,” Bondi said. “It stops. It stops today.”
The lawsuit names Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and DMV commissioner Mark Schroeder, over the state's limited cooperation with federal officials on immigration enforcement challenging the state's Green Light Law, which allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.
"Our state laws, including the Green Light law, protect the rights of all New Yorkers and keep our communities safe," James said in a statement. "I am prepared to defend our laws, just as I always have."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.