Trump has taken office and is set to follow through on the commitment declared during his inaugural address to “begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came.” The words were strong but unsurprising, as during his campaign, then-candidate Trump had promised on several occasions to “carry out the largest deportation operation in American history.” As he makes his return to the Oval Office, migrants, advocates, and public officials in New York City are acting accordingly.
The New York Post reports that some migrants have decided to get ahead of ICE raids that they are anticipating at city-run shelters by leaving them as Trump takes office. Some describe a fearful atmosphere, with one migrant in Manhattan saying that “there are people who have started leaving the hotels because they’re scared.” Others are in denial that Trump’s broad policy will implicate them, as another tells The Post that he believes Trump “won’t send people back who are here to work and make an honest living.” While many analyses have shown that undocumented migrants are a net benefit to American society – committing less crime than citizens and contributing to programs like Social Security without being able to reap their benefits – Trump has not considered such distinctions. Trump’s inauguration speech never mentioned migrants and asylum seekers or echoed the deeply-rooted narratives welcoming them in the country, instead only referencing “criminals” of various stripes that have “illegally entered our country from all over the world.”
New York City is home to nearly half a million undocumented migrants, a large number of whom are considered “essential workers” for their jobs in logistics, sanitation, health care and other sectors.
At the same time, advocacy groups have promised to oppose the Trump administration’s policies with legal challenges. “We need to do everything we can to prevent New York from becoming collaborators and colluding with Trump’s cruel agenda,” says Donna Lieberman, head of the New York Civil Liberties Union. She goes on to highlight pending legislation in the state that would diminish local government and law enforcement’s collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), like the New York For All Act and the Dignity Not Detention Act. Public officials in the city are singing a similar tune, as New York City Councilmember Alexa Avilés stated last week that “we want to use no resources to aid and abet” Trump’s deportation plans.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams goes against this sentiment entirely, as he has signaled his willingness to work with Trump on deportations many times, saying that he and Trump’s “border czar” Tom Homan share “the same goal” after they met last month. Adams, who is facing a federal trial on corruption charges in April, also met with Trump three days ago in Florida. He has refuted claims that a presidential pardon was part of their discussion.
Today Adams he missed some Martin Luther King celebrations, preferring to attend the Trump inauguration after he received a last-minute invitation, between 12 and 1 AM. The decision sparked much criticism. “This is probably about things that are more pressing to the mayor as opposed to how we help New York City,” Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said.
