New York City lawmakers introduce legislation to repeal ‘sanctuary city’ laws

The proposed legislation seeks to revoke sanctuary policies that have restricted cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.

Ashley Mastronardi

Jun 6, 2024, 11:33 PM

Updated 120 days ago

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New York City council member Robert Holden and the Common Sense Caucus have announced legislation to repeal so-called “sanctuary city” laws.
The proposed legislation seeks to revoke sanctuary policies that have restricted cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. They say, for example, if someone is in custody at Rikers Island, they cannot be turned over to immigration authorities because of the current laws. They say this will restore a lost level of public safety that's been caused by criminals entering the country illegally.
“Policies that started off well-meaning in the ‘80s and ‘90s in sanctuary cities have now gone off the rails and have gone too far. You've gone too far when your priority is protecting people who are committing violent crimes,” said New York City council member Joe Borrelli.
The New York City Mayor’s Office told News 12 in a statement, "Mayor [Eric] Adams has been clear that no law-abiding New Yorker should ever be fearful of seeking city services or help from the police because of their immigration status…but he has also expressed concerns about the small number of individuals who have abused these laws and committed repeat offenses in our city with no repercussions."
Adams’s office said they will review the legislation.