Mayor Adams Reinstates ICE Operations at Rikers Island

In a stunning reversal of progressive policy, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has restored ICE’s presence at Rikers Island, ending a decade-long sanctuary stance that shielded criminal illegal immigrants from federal law enforcement.

Under a new executive order issued Tuesday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) specifically its Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division will return to the infamous jail complex to target gang activity, violent criminals, and drug trafficking operations. The move aligns Rikers once again with other federal agencies like the FBI, DEA, and ATF, all of which are being granted office space to assist in cracking down on organized crime within and beyond the prison walls.

This marks the first time since 2014 when then-Mayor Bill de Blasio booted ICE from Rikers under sanctuary city policies that federal immigration enforcement is being allowed to collaborate directly with the city’s Department of Correction.

• The executive order enables real-time intelligence sharing between ICE and local authorities to combat transnational crime.

• Mayor Adams clarified that the city still won’t assist with civil immigration enforcement, but will now fully cooperate in criminal cases.

• The move comes as Rikers faces a potential federal takeover, after years of chaos, corruption, and mismanagement.

“This is about public safety and protecting all New Yorkers,” said First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro, the official who signed the order. And he’s right this is common sense.

For years, sanctuary policies in New York have protected some of the most dangerous criminal aliens from deportation. Even when they were caught trafficking fentanyl or involved in gang violence, they were released right back into the city. That insanity is finally coming to an end at least in part.

Back in February, Adams met with Trump’s former ICE Director Tom Homan, a move that seems to have catalyzed the shift. While Adams insists the timing has nothing to do with federal prosecutors recently dropping corruption charges against him, the message is clear: crime is out of control, and even Democrat strongholds can’t afford to play nice anymore.

Consider this:

• Over 60% of ICE detainers in NYC were ignored in recent years due to sanctuary laws, allowing violent offenders to walk free.

• Rikers has become a haven for gang violence, with incidents involving MS-13, Trinitarios, and Bloods rising steadily since 2018.

• Nationwide, ICE estimates over 14,000 gang members were deported between 2020 and 2023 thanks to criminal enforcement collaborations.

Restoring ICE to Rikers is not just a policy shift it’s an admission that the left’s sanctuary agenda has failed. Violent criminals should not be shielded because of their immigration status. Public safety must come first.

This is a long-overdue correction to a reckless policy. And if even liberal New York City can start rolling it back, there’s hope for every other sanctuary jurisdiction in America.

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