Mayor Eric Adams declined on Tuesday to jump into the fray regarding the fate of a New York City public school student who was arrested by federal immigration authorities at a court hearing last week.
Hizzoner argued during his weekly media availability on May 27 that the incident did not take place in city schools and, therefore, is a federal matter over which he has no control.
Adams made the remarks in response to a Chalkbeat New York report that the Bronx high school student — whom the outlet referred to by his first name, Dylan — was detained by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last Wednesday. The arrest marked the first time a city public school student has been detained during President Trump’s second term, which has relentlessly pushed to deport undocumented immigrants regardless of whether or not they have committed a crime.
Dylan was in the country legally, awaiting the outcome of his asylum claim under a program instituted by former President Biden, according to the report. He then attended his court date unaccompanied by an attorney and, without knowing it, gave up his legal protections, which allowed ICE to arrest him.
In response, the mayor emphasized that Dylan was detained outside of city schools and that his office did not coordinate with ICE in its action.
“People should really understand that this was not in a school building,” Adams said. “We don’t know what was the outcome of the court case. You show up to hearings for a reason, something happens during those hearings, we’re not responsible for them, we’re not in charge of them. So, I think that that’s a question that should be referred to federal authorities.”
‘Our students need to be protected’
Michael Mulgrew, president of the city’s teacher’s union, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), took a very different tone in a Tuesday statement.
“Our students need to be protected,” Mulgrew said. “In this case, it appears that a Bronx high school student was taken advantage of and stripped of his legal rights during a court hearing. In New York City, at least, justice and fairness are supposed to be for all, not just the chosen few. Together with immigration and legal advocates, we will fight for justice.”
Under the city’s sanctuary laws, Adams’ administration is barred from cooperating with ICE on deportation cases, which are civil matters. However, the city does honor ICE detainer requests for undocumented immigrants who have been convicted of a violent or serious crime, are on a terrorist watchlist, or with a judicial warrant for their arrest.
The mayor has repeatedly said he is working with the Trump administration specifically on going after migrants who “commit crimes,” without making a distinction between those who have been convicted or simply charged with a crime. At the same time, he has insisted that his administration will not violate the law by collaborating with ICE on civil matters.
Adams’ executive order allowing ICE to re-establish offices on Rikers Island specifically to handle criminal invessigations, which is currently tied up in the courts, has led many pols and advocates to question whether his administration will continue to follow the city’s sanctuary laws.
‘I’m limited on what I can do’
Adams insisted those laws prevent him from leveraging his relationships with President Trump or his “border czar,” Tom Homan, to review Dylan’s case.
“I’m limited on what coordination I can do,” Adams said. “And sometimes that’s a blessing and it’s a curse.”
The mayor also waved away the idea that unodcumented immigrants like Dylan may hesitate to attend public school or utilize other city services over fears of being detained by ICE. Instead, he encouraged them to continue using those services, noting that the city has not had ICE raids in locations like
“It didn’t happen in school, I’m telling children to go to school,” he said. “Be in school. We have not had ICE raids in our schools. We have not had ICE raids in our chuches. We have not had ICE raids in our hospitals. We have not had ICE raids at places of business. Everywhere I tell people to go, I’m living up to what I shared with them.”
