Some Democrats are going rogue. They’ve had enough of the Party.
And now this top Democrat has confessed that Donald Trump was right all along.
In a significant shift, Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams has expressed support for bipartisan legislation aimed at rolling back several “sanctuary city” laws currently in place. This marks a notable departure from the city’s long-standing policy of opposing cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
On Tuesday, Adams announced his backing for an anti-sanctuary city bill proposed by the Common Sense Caucus, a group of New York City Council members comprising of both Democrats and Republicans. According to the Staten Island Advance, the bill, if passed and signed into law, would reverse laws enacted by former Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio, which largely prohibit New York City police from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“I think the previous administration made a big mistake,” Adams said, referring to de Blasio. “I think we need to correct that aspect of it.” He emphasized, “New Yorkers have a right to be safe in their city. The same way anyone breaks the law or does something violent to New Yorkers, I’m going to voice my concern about that.”
In 2014, de Blasio signed a bill that largely restricted the New York Police Department from collaborating with federal immigration authorities. This policy was further reinforced in 2018 with additional legislation. The Common Sense Caucus’ bill specifically targets these laws for repeal.
Under de Blasio’s laws, New York City law enforcement officials are prevented from honoring ICE detainer requests, which are requests to hold an individual in custody until an ICE agent can make an apprehension. This policy led to a significant drop in detainer requests from ICE, according to a review by the Staten Island Advance.
New York City has long been regarded as a “sanctuary city” by local leaders and immigration experts, though the term has no official definition. The city’s sanctuary policies date back to the early 2000s under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
However, a record number of illegal migrants seeking refuge in New York City has placed financial strain on taxpayers and led to several high-profile crime incidents. This situation has prompted Adams and other city leaders to reconsider their stance on cooperation with ICE.
Since 2022, over 200,000 migrants have overwhelmed New York City, leading to budget cuts and other significant challenges. In September, Adams announced 5% budget cuts to government programs and services to cover the costs of housing and other services for migrants. By August, he declared the city was reaching a “breaking point” due to the volume of immigrants.
The city’s sanctuary status was thrust into the spotlight again when it was revealed that Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, a 19-year-old man from Venezuela accused of shooting two New York City Police Department officers last month, had entered the country unlawfully.
In response to growing concerns over immigration policy, members of the Common Sense Caucus unveiled their bill last month. “We have enough criminals in this city; we don’t need to import more and protect them as well,” said Council Member Robert Holden, a Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill. “Repealing the laws that have created a sanctuary city status is common sense.”
Despite the mayor’s support, the bill’s future remains uncertain in a city council dominated by liberal Democrats. However, Holden believes Adams has the means to overcome these challenges. “It’s encouraging to hear the Mayor’s support for our effort to repeal sanctuary city laws,” Holden told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Despite a combative City Council, he can make it happen by advocating for the Charter Revision Commission to include this proposition on this year’s ballot for the people to decide.”
“New Yorkers will make the right choice: let’s get it done!” he added.
Donald Trump’s Opposition to Sanctuary Cities
Sanctuary cities, municipalities that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, have been a contentious issue in American politics, particularly under the presidency of Donald Trump. Trump vehemently opposed the existence and policies of sanctuary cities, arguing that they undermined national security and the rule of law.
During his presidency, Trump took several measures to challenge sanctuary cities. One of his primary arguments was that these cities harbored undocumented immigrants who had committed crimes, posing a threat to public safety. He often cited specific incidents where undocumented individuals, protected by sanctuary policies, were involved in violent crimes.
Trump and his administration sought to pressure sanctuary cities by threatening to withhold federal funding unless they complied with federal immigration enforcement efforts. This approach sparked legal battles and heightened tensions between the federal government and local authorities who supported sanctuary policies.
Additionally, Trump used his platform to criticize sanctuary city policies, portraying them as part of a broader problem of illegal immigration that needed to be addressed through stricter enforcement measures. He argued that sanctuary policies encouraged illegal immigration by offering a haven from federal immigration authorities.
New York City’s Democrat Mayor Eric Adams is clearly just reading the room and the way Americans are feeling extremely fatigued by the illegal immigration crisis. Supporting sanctuary city-type policies are not going to be popular, even in Democrat strongholds like New York City.
The Conservative Column will keep you updated on any major immigration updates.
