It was recently reported that City Hall distributed a memo to municipal employees weeks ago that provided confusing guidance on in-person interactions with non-local law enforcement, including federal immigration officials. The memo sets a new threshold of “reasonably feel[ing] threatened or fear[ing] for…safety” for which the employee “should give the officer the information they have asked for (if available to you) or let them enter the site” without a judicial warrant. In response, Speaker Adrienne Adams, Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala, and Council Member Alexa Avilés, Chair of the Committee on Immigration, released the following statement.

“The new memo provided by Mayor Adams’ administration is highly irresponsible, confusing, and dangerous to New Yorkers and our workforce. It runs counter to what the Administration communicated to the Council at our recent public hearing and in other venues. This updated guidance is inconsistent with city law and also exceeds the policy guidance, required by local law, for how city agencies should interact with non-local law enforcement. Its effect will be to give special treatment to the extreme actions of the Trump administration’s agencies. This represents a betrayal of New Yorkers and our city. We call on the mayoral administration to rescind the problematic areas of this new guidance and instead provide clear direction that is in compliance with local laws and consistent with city policies. The Mayor and every Deputy Mayor have the responsibility to prioritize New York City and New Yorkers, not cater to the Trump’s administration’s extremism that seeks to sow fear and tear New York City families apart. The Council is considering all its legal options to reverse this appalling memo and hold the Administration accountable.”

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