Democrat mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has pledged to defend New York City’s sanctuary policies and protect illegal aliens from enforcement actions under President Donald Trump’s administration. At a press conference this week, Mamdani directly criticized current Mayor Eric Adams (D) for what he described as capitulation to federal immigration authorities.
Mamdani, an immigrant from Uganda, responded to questions about potential federal immigration raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and possible National Guard deployments ordered by the Trump administration. He vowed to uphold and expand sanctuary protections that prohibit the New York City Police Department (NYPD) from cooperating with ICE, even in cases involving violent offenders.
“I will not be the mayor that we have today who went on national television and opened the door to civil immigration enforcement,” Mamdani said. “I will be the mayor that stands up for our sanctuary city policies, that stands up for every New Yorker’s right to live in this city, and the mayor who will hold everyone accountable to the law, no matter who they are.”
Under New York’s current sanctuary city policy, local law enforcement is barred from honoring ICE detainers or assisting in the detention of individuals solely for immigration violations. Mamdani indicated he would go further, though he offered no specifics. He reiterated his belief that cooperation with federal immigration enforcement is morally wrong and undermines the city’s values.
“The Trump administration is waging war on the First Amendment and our constitutional rights as it continues to abduct New Yorkers from across our city,” Mamdani said. “Any effort to cooperate with these efforts is a moral stain on our city. We should strengthen our sanctuary city laws.”
Mamdani’s stance underscores the deep divide between progressive Democrats and the Trump administration on immigration enforcement, particularly in cities like New York where sanctuary policies are a political flashpoint.
