In the bustling metropolis of New York City, Mayor Eric Adams has expressed a shared vision with the incoming "border czar" of President-elect Donald Trump, Tom Homan, regarding the proposed mass deportations.
Adams, on Thursday, stated that both he and Homan harbor the "same desire" to target those who have repeatedly committed violent acts against innocent New Yorkers and migrants seeking asylum.
According to The Independent, Homan had met with the Democratic mayor just days after advising Democratic officials to step aside and allow Trump's ambitious plans to unfold. The President-elect has grandly termed this as "the largest mass deportation operation in American history."
Adams, after his meeting with Homan, told reporters, "We have the same desire to go after those who have committed repeated violent acts among innocent New Yorkers and among migrants and asylum seekers." He further added, "Thats what I heard from him. I was pleased to hear that because we share the same desire."
However, the mayor's brief remarks did not provide a clear roadmap on how his administration plans to collaborate with federal law enforcement and immigration authorities. Adams also criticized the media for harboring "preconceived notions" and "distorted views" about his stance on immigration enforcement.
Trump's "day one" agenda includes arresting, detaining, and deporting individuals residing in the country without legal permission. This would involve federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies penetrating immigrant communities nationwide. Trump's allies anticipate an expansion of this pledge to potentially target millions of individuals beyond undocumented immigrants accused of criminal activities.
Trump and Homan have also indicated that US citizen children of non-citizen parents are expected to be deported along with their families. This comes at a time when more than 200,000 asylum seekers have sought refuge in New York, following the Republican-led states' decision in 2022 to transport newly arrived immigrants to Democratic-led cities in protest against President Joe Bidens administration.
These new arrivals add to an existing population of approximately 400,000 undocumented New Yorkers. Initially, the city welcomed asylum seekers into city-run shelters. However, Mayor Adams has since expressed concern that the city's resources are being stretched thin, with spending expected to reach $12 billion by 2025.
New York Comptroller Brad Lander's office has warned that Trumps mass deportation plans would "tear families apart, hollow out communities throughout the city, devastate our economy, and violate New York Citys values as an immigrant city."
New York is often labeled a "sanctuary" city, one of many across the country that have laws and policies in place to protect immigrant populations from unjust arrests, detentions, or deportations. Several New York City administrations have supported policies that limit local police interaction with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with exceptions for individuals suspected of terrorism or convicted of violent crimes.
However, Trump has accused Democratic officials of enabling "migrant crime" and has expressed a desire to abolish "sanctuary" policies altogether. "No more sanctuary cities," Trump declared at a campaign event in North Carolina in September. "As soon as I take office, we will immediately surge federal law enforcement to every city that is failing, which is a lot of them, to turn over criminal aliens."
Adams's office has stated that the administration is "exploring lawful processes to remove from New York City individuals who have been convicted of a major felony and lack legal status to remain in the United States."
Adams has also proposed a national "resettlement" strategy to relocate asylum seekers to cities experiencing workforce shortages. He aims to expand work authorization processes and temporary protected status designations for newly arrived immigrants from certain countries.
"Were going to protect the rights of immigrants in this city who are hard working, giving back to the city in a real way," Adams told reporters on Thursday. "Were not going to be a safe haven for those who have committed repeated violent crimes against innocent migrants, immigrants and longstanding New Yorkers."
Adams emphasized that "law-abiding" immigrants will continue to have access to city services, including education and healthcare. However, he made it clear that the city will not provide refuge for those who commit violent acts. The challenge now lies in how these plans will be implemented and what impact they will have on the city's diverse population.
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