New York State Supreme Court Justice Mary Rosado blocked New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ executive order allowing immigration agents to operate on Rikers Island.
“The Court need not reach whether there actually was a conflict of interest because the timeline of public statements and the ongoing criminal prosecution so clearly demonstrate an impermissible appearance of a conflict of interest,” the judge wrote of Adams’ order, referring to his decision to allow ICE onto the island following federal prosecutors dropping a criminal investigation into his office. “The appearance of this conflict and Mayor Adams’ failure to recuse himself fully tainted the entire process by which Executive Order No. 50 was issued, making it null and void,” Rosado continued.
The New York City Council issued a statement following the judge’s order, calling it a “major win” that “strengthens public safety in our city and the Constitutional rights of all New Yorkers.”
“Trump’s political agenda of using ICE to disappear residents without due process and separate families harms our communities and undermines our collective safety,” the statement read. “We’re pleased that the court recognized Mayor Adams and Randy Mastro’s attempt to do Trump’s bidding and betray their obligation to New Yorkers as unlawful. This decision protects the civil rights of all New Yorkers from being violated and makes our city safer.”
In 2014, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio signed laws limiting New York City’s cooperation with federal immigration practices, ending the ability for ICE to be present at Rikers Island.
The April order explained that Rikers Island is the “site of correctional facilities under the jurisdiction of the DOC and currently houses members and associates of designated terrorist organizations among other individuals incarcerated there,” noting there is “historical precedent for federal law enforcement authorities to have office space and personnel on Rikers Island as recently as a decade ago.”
