In a letter despatched to the Adams administration Thursday night, Lander, who’s working in opposition to the mayor within the June main, demanded copies of the subpoenas, a briefing on the investigations and Mayor Adams’ plan to reply.
Lander mentioned that the request for migrants’ data could violate New York Metropolis’s native privateness legal guidelines that block metropolis contractors and businesses from disclosing private data, and he requested the mayor to file a movement to thwart the subpoenas in the event that they did.
“As City leaders, we must stand up to this cruel and corrupt presidency, rather than surrender in anticipation of lawless political attacks,” Lander writes within the letter. “I urge your Administration in advance not to comply with any unlawful or unconstitutional orders from the federal government.”
The mayor faces growing strain to talk out in opposition to Trump because the president has ramped up assaults immigration protections in New York with each this probe and the deportation and arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia College activist focused for his pro-Palestinian advocacy.
State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, who can be working for mayor, slammed Adams at a press convention on Thursday morning.
“Right now President Trump is bullying New York City and Eric Adams is nowhere to be found,” Myrie mentioned, referring to the subpoenas and the arrest of Khalil.
“We need a mayor in this city that is willing to stand up for New Yorkers, not someone willing to cave to a wannabe tyrant,” he continued. “Anybody that cannot stand up to Donald Trump does not deserve to sit in City Hall. Anybody that is silent at this moment does not deserve to represent our city.”
Adams has expressed an openness to working with the president on immigration and has declined to publicly criticize the administration. He’s been accused of cooperating with the administration amid their plans to drop his corruption indictment. The DOJ moved to dismiss his corruption case in February. Adams has denied the costs and allegations of any quid professional quo.
“Just like he has tried to do with every new administration, Mayor Adams wants to work with the president, not war with him, to better the lives of New Yorkers. Others can give uninformed comments and make empty promises that won’t actually help New Yorkers, but they simply cannot match the mayor’s record,” Liz Garcia, a spokesperson for the mayor, mentioned, listingf housing, childcare and medical debt achievements.
Garcia additionally emphasised the mayor sued the president over a $80 million federal migrant support clawback and said that he doesn’t assist mass deportations.
She mentioned the administration would assessment Lander’s letter, although additionally took challenge that Lander wrote “other City leaders must step in to fight for the 8 million people who call this city home.”
“He’s a city leader,” she famous, “and all he’s done for over a month is send City Hall letters.”
The mayor mentioned earlier Thursday he can’t touch upon the investigation, deferring to the Manhattan U.S. lawyer’s workplace.
He instructed reporters that his “heart goes out to” metropolis staff caught up as political collateral, however he didn’t point out Trump or the migrants themselves.
Whereas no metropolis officers have acquired subpoenas on this probe, the shelters are contracted by the town, which is why the comptroller is writing to the administration.
Initially Revealed: March 13, 2025 at 5:24 PM EDT
