NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams tried to reassure upset New Yorkers on Wednesday, worried about whether people working and living in the city without proper papers might face mass deportation in wake of the Trump administration’s swift executive action on immigration policies.
Immigrant advocates rallied in the freezing cold Wednesday night outside a school in Corona, Queens ahead of Mayor Adams’s town hall-style community meeting, hoping to get his attention with questions surrounding how President Donald Trump’s planned mass deportations will affect the city.
“We want to meet with him and give him the message that he should not be tolerating, he should not be getting involved in mass deportation,” said Perla Silva of Make the Road New York.
The mayor was quick to assure a parent coordinator at a nearby school who asked about it.
“The ink is not even dry on these executive orders,” Mayor Adams said.
But the fear is real, and the Trump administration says federal immigration authorities can now arrest people at churches and schools, marking a departure from a long-standing policy to avoid “sensitive” areas.
The move is the latest in a series of actions by President Trump, who has already signed executive orders cracking down on illegal immigrants and beefing up security at the southern border.
“I cannot tell you how many parents have come to me today to ask, inquire, what can they do? They’re scared, the kids are scared,” said the parent coordinator.
The mayor responded Wednesday night by saying federal immigration enforcement should be focused on the small number of people committing violent crimes.
“Children should go to school. Those who need health care should go to hospitals,” he said. “Those who are involved in any type of interaction, where they’re victims of a crime, they should speak to law enforcement agencies. We’ve maintained that over and over again. And we are going to stand up for all New Yorkers, documented, and undocumented,” Adams said.
Authorities will still need a warrant to enter a church or a school. However, internal memos to various agencies in New York City are instructing staff to block access to any federal law enforcement, even those in possession of a warrant.
City officials are bracing for possibility of mass deportations and have even sent an email to every principal on how to support students and their rights.
Phil Taitt has the latest from New York City.
NYC Schools instructed principals that its long-standing education department directive is, “DOE does not consent to non-local law enforcement accessing school facilities in any circumstances, and principals and other school personnel may not give consent.”
Principals are instructed to contact education department lawyers, NYPD and school safety agents before allowing entry, even if there are exigent circumstances, “such as imminent risk of death or physical harm.”
Fordham University professor of law Jennifer Gordon joins Eyewitness News Mornings @ 10 to discuss Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship in the United States.
Adams said the city has welcomed 40,000 migrant children to the DOE since 2022.
“Regardless of immigration status, everyone in New York City should be able to get an education, seek medical care, and practice their faith,” a spokesperson for the mayor said. “Law-abiding immigrants play a vital role in our city, and the mayor has been clear that any enforcement should be focused on the small number of people who are coming to our city or country and committing violent crimes.”
In another statement from the mayor’s office, it says that “While the mayor and president will not always agree on everything, Mayor Adams is focused on how we can work together to do what it best for New York City.”
Rev. K. Karpen of Saint Paul and Saint Andrew on the Upper West Side has welcomed thousands of migrant families over these past couple of years. He says he saw this coming, and even put certain signs up for the limitations of immigration officers.
“Frankly, I think they want to instill fear. I feel it’s really disrespectful of religious tradition and our ability to fulfill our religious mission because we take it seriously to offer help for people who desperately need help,” Rev. Karpen said.
As for members of the nation’s largest police department, the NYPD is expected to help federal authorities pursue migrant criminals but may not assist federal immigration officers round up undocumented immigrants, according to an NYPD memo obtained by ABC News.
“The Department continues to work daily with federal law enforcement agencies in connection with a wide range of criminal investigations, the memo said. “The fact that a person is present in the United States without lawful authorization is a civil matter, not a crime.”
The reminder, “at the direction of the police commissioner,” that NYPD officers must distinguish between criminal and civil enforcement was dated January 18, two days before President Trump took office and sought to reshape policies that made the United States a sanctuary for migrants.
“Members of service are not permitted to engage in civil immigration enforcement, assist in any manner with civil immigration enforcement or allow any department resources to be used in connection with civil immigration enforcement,” the memo said.
Officers are not supposed to interfere with federal immigration authorities but they cannot proactively let them know where a targeted individual is located, hold an individual not accused of a crime for immigration officers or “facilitate street closures to enable civil immigration enforcement.”
In New York, there are more than 400,000 undocumented immigrants.
There is similar messaging in cities like Bridgeport, Connecticut, where community organizations are formulating plans to best protect and advise individuals. There, the school district has sent out a notice to inform families that no ICE agents or government officials can enter school buildings, buses or attend school events without prior authorization.
Marcus Solis has the latest from Bridgeport, Connecticut on how local officials are reacting to a Justice Department memo that plans to challenge sanctuary city laws.
Administrators have been directed if an ICE officer arrives to secure the premises, meet the officer at the entrance, request their information, contact the superintendent’s office but not to physically interfere. Rather, they are encouraged to gather as much information as possible and notify district security supervisors and the superintendent’s office.
Meanwhile, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut — plus the District of Columbia and San Francisco — are among 22 states that sued in federal court to block Trump’s order ending birthright citizenship to children of parents who are in the United States illegally.
ALSO READ | Immigrants fear Impact of President Trump’s policies
Dan Krauth reports from New York City on the fears some immigrants have of President-elect Trump’s potential immigration policies.
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In the wake of recent reports of increased ICE enforcement in New York City, Mayor Adams is working to reassure residents that they are safe from immigration raids in sensitive locations such as churches and schools.
Mayor Adams has pledged to uphold the city’s sanctuary policies, which prohibit law enforcement agencies from conducting immigration enforcement activities in places of worship, schools, and other sensitive locations. He has also promised to work closely with community organizations and legal advocates to protect the rights of immigrants in the city.
In a recent press conference, Mayor Adams stated, “New York City is a welcoming and inclusive city, and we will not tolerate any actions that threaten the safety and security of our immigrant communities. We will continue to stand up for the rights of all New Yorkers, regardless of their immigration status.”
Despite these assurances, many residents remain fearful of ICE raids and potential deportations. Community leaders are urging immigrants to know their rights and seek legal help if they are approached by ICE agents.
As the debate over immigration enforcement continues, Mayor Adams is committed to ensuring that all New Yorkers feel safe and secure in their communities. He has called on residents to stand together in solidarity and support one another during these uncertain times.
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NYC immigration, Mayor Adams, ICE arrests, New Yorkers, fears, churches, schools, immigration policy, NYC government, community safety
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