Just before announcing the executive order to reestablish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents' ability to operate on Rikers Island, New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) held a closed-door meeting with Border Czar Tom Homan.
The two men then appeared together on Fox News, which calls this deal "a significant step given the city's sanctuary policies."
The plan is to combat violent migrant gangs in the city where more than 230,000 migrants moved during Biden's time in office.
"We can identify those gangs inside and outside on the street," said Adams. "There was no reason [agents] were removed from Rikers Island, and … I'm able to do an executive order to put them back on Rikers Island, where they should be with part of our criminal justice apparatus."
ICE agents would specifically be focused on assisting the correctional intelligence bureau in their criminal investigations, particularly those focused on violent criminals and gangs.
"Getting back on Rikers Island's a game-changer," said Homan. "Not only would we get the bad guys before they hit the street, the intelligence of how TdA (Tren de Aragua) operates, where they're operating – all this intelligence they gather at Rikers Island, we'll have access to."
Adams, whom the politicized Biden administration indicted in a "suspect" manner likely because of his pushback on immigration, has made clear that he wants to work with the new federal administration, not war with them, to find common ground and make better the lives of New Yorkers.
