New York City Mayor Eric Adams faced a lawsuit from the City Council on Thursday regarding his Executive Order 50, which permits the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to establish an office on Rikers Island Correctional Facility.
The City Council’s move seeks a temporary restraining order (TRO) and a preliminary injunction against the executive order aimed at facilitating the deportation processes for Caribbean and other immigrants.
In a statement, Mayoral Spokesperson Kayla Mamelak Altus dismissed the City Council’s lawsuit as “baseless,” emphasizing the importance of maintaining public trust among the 8.5 million residents served by the administration.
Altus highlighted that Mayor Adams had delegated decisions related to federal officials investigating crimes at Rikers to First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro to avoid any potential conflict of interest.
“The first deputy mayor conducted a thorough and independent assessment — which included multiple visits to Rikers Island, conversations with federal law enforcement, and our own Department of Correction officers,” said Altus.
Mastro concluded that having a federal presence at Rikers facilitates criminal investigations and enhances public safety by targeting violent transnational gangs operating in the city.
Altus further clarified that coordination with federal agencies would be limited solely to criminal law enforcement and not extend to civil immigration matters.
“Executive Order 50 is expressly authorized by New York City’s local laws — the very laws enacted by the City Council,” she stated.
While the administration intends to review the lawsuit, Altus reiterated her stance that it lacks merit and contradicts public interests, as it aims to protect New Yorkers from violent criminals.
The council’s lawsuit challenges the lawfulness of Executive Order 50, claiming it is marred by a conflict of interest arising from an alleged deal between Adams and the Trump administration — purportedly trading the mayor’s personal legal troubles for an ICE office on Rikers Island.
The legal complaint alleges that the City Charter stipulates the mayor cannot remedy such conflicts simply by delegating authority to Deputy Mayor Mastro.
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams voiced strong opposition to the mayor’s actions, stating, “Once again, this City Council is standing firm to protect the rights and safety of all New Yorkers against attacks by the Trump administration — because the city’s mayor won’t stop placing his own personal interests ahead of the people of our city.”
The lawsuit contends that allowing ICE to operate on Rikers could damage public safety by deteriorating the trust between local law enforcement and the community, leading to fewer people reporting crimes or seeking assistance.
Speaker Adams accused Mayor Eric Adams of compromising the city’s sovereignty and presenting a threat to the safety of all New Yorkers, calling the executive order an attempt to fulfill a bargain with the Trump administration.
The backdrop of this lawsuit includes a timeline in which the Trump administration ordered the dismissal of the mayor’s federal corruption case, allegedly in exchange for Adams’s cooperation with its immigration enforcement policies.
The City Council has positioned itself to legally oppose the mayor’s executive order by passing Resolution 836, which authorizes Speaker Adams to act against what they view as a violation of Sanctuary Laws and federal overreach.
The lawsuit highlights that Executive Order 50 circumvents Local Law 58 of 2014, which prohibits federal immigration authorities from maintaining an office on Rikers Island.
The City Council points to past interactions, alleging that the timing of Adams’s meeting with Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, on the same day federal charges against him were dismissed suggests a quid pro quo arrangement.
The complaint argues that allowing ICE onto Rikers for the purposes of criminal investigations could easily blur into civil immigration enforcement, a concern rooted in historical practices of ICE targeting individuals mistakenly during operations.
According to the lawsuit, such operations could involve the arrest of individuals not directly connected to the investigations, further isolating immigrant communities and jeopardizing public safety.
In response to the lawsuit, Mastro defended the executive order, stating that it aligns with local law, which does allow federal authorities to maintain an office for criminal investigative purposes, provided it does not involve civil immigration enforcement.
“Local Law 58 of 2014 codifying this stipulates that federal immigration authorities can establish office space on land under DOC jurisdiction for purposes unrelated to civil immigration law enforcement,” he emphasized.
Adams’s Executive Order 50, notably signed on April 8, marks a significant pivot in approach, indicating a willingness to collaborate with federal agencies such as the FBI, DEA, and Homeland Security for criminal investigations at Rikers Island.
Under this executive order, federal law enforcement personnel are tasked with cooperating with local authorities to handle violent crime and gang-related activities emerging from DOC custody.
Mayor Adams underscored his administration’s commitment to reducing crime and ensuring public safety, urging the City Council to join in these efforts rather than oppose the order.
As the legal battles unfold, the tensions between the mayor’s office and the City Council bring into sharp focus the complexities of local governance amidst federal immigration enforcement strategies, underscoring the ongoing debate around sanctuary cities and the role of local law in protecting vulnerable communities.
The necessity and implications of Executive Order 50 remain at the forefront of public discourse as both the mayoral administration and the City Council prepare for a legal confrontation over the future of immigration enforcement in New York City.
This situation sets the stage for what could be a landmark case concerning the limits of local authority in the face of federal immigration policy, raising questions about accountability, transparency, and the trust of immigrant communities in their local government.
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