NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� A judge blocked New York City鈥檚 mayor from letting federal immigration authorities reopen an office at the city鈥檚 main jail, in part because of concerns the mayor invited them back in as part of a deal with the Trump administration to end his corruption case.
New York Judge Mary Rosado鈥檚 decision Friday is a setback for Democratic Mayor Eric Adams, who issued an executive order permitting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agencies to maintain office space at the Rikers Island jail complex. City lawmakers accusing Adams of entering into a 鈥渃orrupt quid pro quo bargain鈥� with the Trump administration in exchange for the U.S. Justice Department against him.
Rosado in April. In granting a preliminary injunction, she said city council members have 鈥渟hown a likelihood of success in demonstrating, at minimum, the appearance of a quid pro quo whereby Mayor Adams publicly agreed to bring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (鈥滻CE鈥�) back to Rikers Island in exchange for dismissal of his criminal charges.鈥�
Rosado cited a number of factors, including U.S. border czar Tom Homan's televised comments in February that if Adams did not come through, "I鈥檒l be in his office, up his butt saying, 鈥榃here the hell is the agreement we came to?鈥� 鈥�
Adams has making a deal with the administration over the criminal case. He has said he deputized his first deputy mayor, Randy Mastro, to handle decision-making on the return of ICE to Rikers Island to make sure there was no appearance of any conflict of interest.
Rosado said that Mastro reports to Adams and 鈥渃annot be considered impartial and free from Mayor Adams' conflicts.鈥�
Mastro said in a prepared statement Friday the administration was confident they will prevail in the case.
"Let鈥檚 be crystal clear: This executive order is about the criminal prosecution of violent transnational gangs committing crimes in our city. Our administration has never, and will never, do anything to jeopardize the safety of law-abiding immigrants, and this executive order ensures their safety as well," Mastro said.
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who is running in the Democratic primary for mayor, called the decision a victory for public safety.
鈥淣ew Yorkers are counting on our city to protect their civil rights, and yet, Mayor Adams has attempted to betray this obligation by handing power over our city to Trump鈥檚 ICE because he is compromised," she said in a prepared statement.
The Associated Press
