He\u2019s out of executive order.<\/p>\n
Mayor Eric Adams insisted again Friday that he can\u2019t just issue an executive order rolling back sanctuary city law, as the Trump administration amped up pressure with a new lawsuit<\/a> targeting the pro-migrant policies.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t do that,\u201d he told FOX5. \u201cAny modification in the law must come through the City Council.\u201d<\/p>\n Hizzoner\u2019s attempted buck-passing came after the Department of Justice sued the Big Apple, along with Adams and the Council, Thursday asking a judge to strike down the city\u2019s decades-old sanctuary status as unconstitutional.<\/p>\n Mayor Eric Adams continued to insist he can\u2019t issue an executive order to roll back sanctuary city policies. Luiz Rampelotto\/ZUMA \/ SplashNews.com<\/p>\n The lawsuit apparently stemmed from the July 19 shooting of an off-duty Customs and Border Protection agent<\/a> during a botched robbery by two illegal migrants \u2014 and blindsided both Adams and the Council, sources said.<\/p>\n The Council issued a defiant statement after the suit, while Adams has tried to straddle a line between supporting sanctuary protections for law-abiding immigrants and maintaining they should be rolled back for violent criminals.<\/p>\n Sanctuary policies limit cooperation between federal immigration authorities and local officials in most cases.<\/p>\n Adams did issue an executive order<\/a> in April to reopen the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office on Rikers Island \u2014 fulfilling a request from President Trump\u2019s border czar Tom Homan. <\/p>\n But the effort has been blocked by a judge<\/a>.<\/p>\n Still, Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Queens), one of seven city lawmakers who pushed Trump\u2019s DOJ to step in against the city\u2019s sanctuary laws<\/a>, didn\u2019t buy Adams\u2019 claimed helplessness on issuing such an order when it comes to the policies.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Mayor is talking out of both sides of his mouth here, and trying to pawn this off when he knows that he could have taken executive action but didn\u2019t,\u201d Ariola said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve seen Mayor Adams issue executive orders time and time again over the Council\u2019s objections. This is nothing but another sad excuse to cover up his inaction when the city needed a decisive leader most.\u201d<\/p>\n Adams has tried to issue several executive orders on immigration matters, with little success. Getty Images<\/p>\n City Hall spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak claimed confusion when asked if her boss would pursue a similar executive order strategy to perform an end run around the Council.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat would the EO say?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n Adams has issued several other executive orders aiming to contravene the Council with mixed-to-no success.<\/p>\n An attempt by Adams to walk back right-to-shelter protections \u2014 which mandate the Big Apple must provide shelter to any homeless person who seeks it \u2014 via executive order during the migrant crisis led to a settlement that handed only a partial victory<\/a> for the city.<\/p>\n And Adams\u2019 attempt to block a Council-passed ban on solitary confinement led to an embarrassing smackdown<\/a> from a judge.<\/p>\n \u201cHe cannot suspend the law because he disapproves of its impact,\u201d Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Jeffrey Pearlman wrote about the mayor in his decision.<\/p>\n A City Council source said Adams\u2019 hands are largely tied, because any executive order waiving sanctuary protections could be overridden by New York\u2019s State Assembly or lead to another potentially losing lawsuit from the Council.<\/p>\n \u201cHe has very limited powers unless the governor issues some sort of COVID executive powers to ignore certain laws,\u201d the source said.<\/p>\n President Trump said the lawsuit against New York City is a standard filing against sanctuary cities. James Breeden for New York Post<\/p>\n \u201cOr he could just disregard the law like CityFHEPS,\u201d the source added, referring to housing voucher law changes that the Council forced through and that Adams refused to enact<\/a>.<\/p>\n The DOJ\u2019s suit likely signals that Adams \u2013 who developed a cooperative relationship with Homan \u2013 is no longer in the Trump administration\u2019s good graces, the source said.<\/p>\n Other sanctuary cities such as Chicago and Los Angeles were at the receiving end of federal lawsuits over their immigrant-protecting policies months ago, but New York City coasted free.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are trying to work with the guy. Homan was trying to spare him,\u201d the source said of Adams.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s showing he\u2019s working with them, but he\u2019s not going far enough.\u201d<\/p>\n