NEW YORK — On Thursday, President Trump’s immigration chief, Thomas Homan, held discussions with New York City Mayor Eric Adams as the administration seeks to enhance efforts in detaining and deporting individuals charged with crimes.
After their private meeting at a federal facility, neither Adams nor Homan made any statements to the press as they departed the building in separate vehicles.
Adams had previously indicated his plans to address the recent decision by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to recover more than $80 million that the agency had previously allocated to the city for the expenses surrounding sheltering homeless migrants.
Longstanding issues exist between U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) and New York City, especially as local laws restrict police from cooperating with federal immigration actions.
While Adams has expressed support for modifying these “sanctuary” policies, his authority as mayor is limited in this context. Nonetheless, he faces unusual pressures to align with the Trump administration’s aggressive stance on immigration enforcement.
The Justice Department recently instructed federal prosecutors in Manhattan to consider dropping allegations of corruption against Adams to allow him to concentrate on the president’s immigration priorities.
As of the latest update, the criminal charges are still active. If they are later dismissed, a senior Justice Department official noted that a review would take place after the November mayoral election to decide if the charges should be reinstated.
Organizations advocating for immigrant rights have expressed anxiety over the possibility that Adams may feel compelled to alter or revoke aspects of current city ordinances related to immigration enforcement that stem from a combination of state laws and mayoral directives.
With a Democratic primary coming up in June, Adams has stated that his primary focus remains the removal of individuals who engage in serious criminal conduct from the city.
Despite this, local laws prevent city officials from fully assisting U.S. immigration agents with actions they desire, such as detaining individuals in city jails for civil immigration issues longer than their standard release times.
Additionally, New York City has enacted policies limiting ICE’s access to public schools and city properties.
Republican City Council members reported that Homan is counting on Adams to back efforts aimed at rescinding the city’s sanctuary policies.
“He’s expecting cooperation,” Councilmember Bob Holden remarked. Adams has taken steps to ensure that city officials comply with the Trump administration’s directives on various issues, which has raised concerns and confusion among municipal employees and contractors.
Adams has also planned discussions to restore FEMA funding originally allocated to cover costs associated with housing homeless migrants in places like former hotels.
The administration has leased multiple hotels and vacant buildings, converting them into shelters for migrants as the city aims to accommodate approximately 230,000 individuals who have recently arrived from the southern border.
Furthermore, the Trump administration initiated legal action against New York’s governor and attorney general regarding the state’s Green Light law, which has been adopted in other states and generally permits individuals without legal status in the U.S. to obtain driver’s licenses.
