After video footage showed several men attacking two police officers outside a Times Square migrant shelter, political leaders intensified calls to deport these individuals.
Mayors and governors, all Democrats, are struggling to balance their lenient immigration philosophy with mass migration realities. Their states and cities have been overwhelmed by an unprecedented wave of migrants sent via bus from Texas Governor Rick Perry’s Republican administration.
Mayor Bill de Blasio
City leaders from hospitals to attorneys and community organizations in New York are ready to fend off Trump-inspired raids and immigration enforcement policies that target immigrant communities in their city. Many have voiced discontent at Manhattan District Attorney Eric Schneiderman’s decision to let many arrested during a Times Square attack that injured two police officers off on bail, while they question NYPD “broken windows” policing, which targets relatively low-level crimes for aggressive enforcement; critics argue it may contribute to crime reduction rates that have reached record low levels across their city.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has taken steps to limit New York City’s cooperation with immigration authorities, creating IDNYC as an official photo identification for all residents, including undocumented people. He has backed efforts to protect residents from deportation threats, helped those taking advantage of President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program normalize their status, and has even publicly defended his sanctuary policy in public remarks.
Governor Andrew Cuomo
Recently, those seen attacking NYPD officers in Times Square were released without bail and deported – prompting calls for deportation to follow. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who’s prosecuting Stormy Daniels’ lawyer in her hush money case, justified not seeking bail on them by noting they posed no risk to public safety. Mayors and city leaders often defend New York as a sanctuary city by refusing federal immigration authorities apprehend criminal migrants who commit offenses within its borders.
Cuomo, who’s considering running for president in 2024, has come out against this policy in recent days. He suggested the Biden Administration cover the bill for the migrant crisis instead of local governments such as New York City footing it themselves. Cuomo also initiated efforts to combat immigration fraud using civil rights laws to hold entities that scam immigrants accountable; NaturalizeNY encourages eligible New Yorkers to become U.S. citizens.
Governor Kathy Hochul
The arrests of migrants accused of assaulting New York City police officers has resurfaced questions about its sanctuary policy and most were released on bail.
One of them, Jhoan Boada, 24, gave the double middle finger as he was released. Although illegally present, these young people know that beating a cop won’t go unpunished and that wishy-washy politicians in blue cities and states won’t act to change laws to make things right.
Governor Kathy Hochul issued a strong condemnation of the release of three suspects and suggested they be deported, prompting disapproval from her fellow Democrats and an ex-ICE director. Hochul’s proposal is the latest example of Democratic-run municipalities grappling to reconcile their lenient immigration policies with an increase in migrants, as sanctuary policies usually prevent authorities from cooperating with federal immigration officials.
Speaker of the City Council Corey Johnson
Two NYPD officers were attacked in Times Square by a group of men suspected to be migrants on Saturday evening while trying to disperse an unruly crowd outside a migrant shelter, and were attacked by two attackers suspected as migrants allegedly from Bangladesh and India – two were stabbed, while one suffered head trauma; all five suspects have since been released on bail, although both the Police Union and New York’s congressional delegation are calling for deportation action against all five suspects involved.
Democrats’ calls reflect their growing frustration with President Donald Trump’s handling of the migrant crisis and his proposal to shut down the border, but also reflect pressure placed upon cities run by Democrats to match their lax immigration policies with mass arrivals. New York boasts an effective sanctuary law which forbids city employees from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement officials; both Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council have supported it strongly.
- Friday Intraday Trading Sees Nvidia’s stock Market Cap Momentarily Cross $2 Trillion
- Trump’s January 6 Civil Cases Proceed While Criminal Case Is Halted
- Trump Delivers Speech at the Columbia Black Conservative Federation Gala
- Trump Declares Strong Support for IVF Following Alabama Supreme Court Decision
- Schumer in Ukraine Declares US Backing During House Aid Standoff
