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As the Trump administration rolled back protections from immigration enforcement at schools, Mayor Eric Adams didn’t voice support for a longstanding federal policy that limited arrests at “sensitive” locations.
Asked during a Tuesday press conference about concerns that immigration enforcement could target areas that have previously been off limits — including schools, hospitals, and churches — Adams refrained from taking a clear stance.
“That is all part of our conversations that we’re having with ICE [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] about these sensitive locations and other aspects of it,” the mayor said. “Listen, we’ve been having good conversations with ICE. We’re going to continue to do so. Our team know[s] how important it is to coordinate, and if you’re not at the table, you’re not able to give real good input. And that is our goal.”
For decades, Democratic and Republican presidents have treated schools and child care centers as “sensitive” or “protected” locations that should be safe from immigration enforcement absent an immediate danger to the public. President Donald Trump, who campaigned on ramping up deportations, rescinded that policy on Monday.
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” a federal Homeland Security official wrote in a statement. Agents should use “common sense” in enforcing the law, the official noted.
Adams has adopted a warm posture toward Trump over the past several weeks, taking meetings with his “border czar,” dining with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, and accepting a last-minute invitation to his inauguration on Monday. During Tuesday’s press conference, the mayor declined to offer an opinion on Trump’s decision to pardon Jan. 6 rioters, or efforts to end birthright citizenship.
Observers noted that courting Trump could benefit the mayor, who faces federal corruption charges, as the new president could pardon Adams if he is convicted. The mayor has denied any wrongdoing and said he is simply advocating on behalf of the city.
Adams urges immigrants to attend school, use city services
During the Tuesday press conference, Adams sought to reassure migrants that they are safe and should continue using municipal services.
“We want our immigrants to know that this is a city of immigrants,” Adams said. “It’s imperative that you go to school, use the hospital services, use the police services.”
But immigration rights advocates blasted Adams for failing to stake out a position on the sensitive locations policy — and worry that the federal government’s action clearing the way for arrests at or near schools will stoke fear among immigrant families.
“This is the same mayor who, for the past several months, has been speaking out of both sides of his mouth: saying that he does not support mass deportation, but wants to work with the Trump administration on immigration,” said Murad Awawdeh, who runs the New York Immigration Coalition, an advocacy group.
Awawdeh fears that families might be scared of sending their kids to school, as the policy was initially created to encourage immigrants to continue using essential services. “That’s the last thing we want and the last thing the city should want,” he said.
Education Department spokesperson Nicole Brownstein emphasized that “nothing has changed in terms of how we operate.”
She added: “We do not permit non-NYC law enforcement agents, including ICE, to enter schools except when absolutely required by law — and we do not ask families to disclose, nor do we track, immigration status.”
Brownstein did not respond to a question about whether Chancellor Mellisa Aviles-Ramos, who was appointed by Adams, has an opinion about Trump’s decision to rescind the sensitive location policy.
Still, the Education Department has repeatedly reiterated to principals that they should not cooperate with ICE agents without a warrant and should contact city lawyers for guidance if federal agents arrive at their doorstep. School safety agents and other staff are forbidden from cooperating with federal immigration authorities in most cases.
The city’s Panel for Educational Policy, which votes on Education Department contracts and other policy measures, is expected to approve a resolution on Wednesday that lays out existing protections for undocumented students. Although the resolution is largely symbolic, some panel members sought to send a message to undocumented families that the school system is safe for them.
In response to follow-up questions about the mayor’s stance on the sensitive location policy, Adams spokesperson Liz Garcia sent a statement that did not directly address the issue. “The mayor has been clear that any enforcement should be focused on the small number of people who are coming to our city or country and committing violent crimes,” Garcia wrote in an email.
Alex Zimmerman is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, covering NYC public schools. Contact Alex at azimmerman@chalkbeat.org.
