🔒 NYC: ICE to Operate at Rikers Island Prison

On February 13, 2025, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced a policy shift, allowing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to operate at Rikers Island jail. This decision, which followed a meeting with former Trump border official Thomas Homan, marks a departure from the city's previous sanctuary policies that limited cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. ICE will assist in criminal investigations, focusing on violent offenders and gang activity within the jail. This move has drawn criticism from immigration advocates, who fear it could lead to unlawful collaboration between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials. Adams defends the policy as a pragmatic approach to public safety, especially given the strain of a large migrant influx on the city's resources. The change reflects an ongoing debate about immigration enforcement and the balance between local and federal governance.