Deputy Mayor Kaz Daughtry on Sunday defended the Adams administration’s ongoing cooperation with federal immigration authorities, saying the city’s relationship with ICE is necessary to maintain influence over enforcement decisions that impact New Yorkers.
Daughtry said in an interview with a TV network that cooperation is essential to ensure New York leaders continue to have a “seat at the table” for immigration policy. He reiterated that city law enforcement does not engage in civil immigration enforcement — such as matters involving immigration status — but only in cases involving criminal conduct.
Prominent New York leaders have criticized ICE presence in a Manhattan courthouse, where immigration officials are increasingly detaining migrants as they leave hearings, prompting waves of protests. After ICE arrested City Comptroller Brad Lander while observing hearings in June, other politicians have joined Lander in the court to protest immigration officers.
Daughtry said New York has cooperated with federal authorities only on criminal matters.
“These are bad people, bad people,” Daughtry told CBS News on Sunday. “They committed murders with guns — murders, robberies. They came here and they victimized New Yorkers.”
Daughtry’s remarks come less than a month after City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Oversight and Investigations Committee Chair Gale Brewer called for an investigation into whether city law enforcement was collaborating on civil matters. Adams and Brewer cited reports from The City that a Bronx 19-year-old whom the NYPD arrested and charged — but did not prosecute — still ended up in federal immigration custody.
Mayor Eric Adams and his deputies have consistently deflected criticism of immigration policy to the federal government, repeating that the city only cooperates on criminal matters.
In February, Adams issued new guidance for city workers, telling them to not endanger themselves by obstructing federal immigration officials from entering city buildings if they feel threatened by the agents, which critics said undermined New York’s status as a “sanctuary city.”
Daughtry noted that immigration officials have not raided NYC public schools or religious centers, which he credited to the Adams administration’s cooperation.
“This is why it’s important to have a seat at the table, to see what’s on the menu and to be on the menu,” Daughtry said. “And that’s what the open dialogue between this administration and the federal authorities is all about.”
Daughtry also praised President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts, saying Trump wants to help New York City. Daughtry, who met the president for golf in early June, refused to discuss his private conversations with Trump.
“We had conversations on the golf course. They will remain private,” Daughtry said. “I will share this piece of information with you: the president is all about public safety. New York is a very special place to him. We have a connection — he was born in Queens, I was born in Queens. And he wants the best stuff to happen for New York City.”
Trump has repeatedly threatened New York’s federal funding over disagreements on transportation policy, public schools and immigration. He also said he would cut off funds if Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani “doesn’t behave.”
Adams reportedly told his deputies to never publicly criticize the president after Trump ordered federal prosecutors to drop a slew of charges against Adams.
Mamdani has used criticism against the Adams administration’s alleged immigration collaboration as political fodder, blaming Adams, who is running against Mamdani for mayor as an independent, for increasing ICE raids.
“In this moment when New Yorkers need a mayor who will fight for them, they instead have one who has offered collaboration with the Trump administration,” Mamdani said in a May 29 press conference.
Daughtry said he will not listen to criticism.
“I don’t listen to the noise,” Daughtry said. “I stay focused and I do what’s right for the people of New York.”
This article was updated July 7 to clarify details of Adams’ February guidance to city employees.
