NYC will allow immigration agents to operate on Rikers Island

Federal immigration officials will be allowed to work out of dedicated offices on Rikers Island for the first time in a decade, under an executive order Mayor Eric Adams’ administration issued late Tuesday.

The move is designed to support law enforcement efforts against alleged international gang members and their associates, according to the order. It is not meant to facilitate civil deportations of undocumented immigrants, as New York City’s sanctuary laws prohibit local officials from cooperating with federal authorities on those.

“It is critical that federal law enforcement agencies are able to share intelligence with the [Department of Correction] and NYPD in real-time about criminal gang activity among individuals both inside and outside of DOC custody,” the order states. It cites the international gangs Tren de Aragua and MS-13 as groups who have harmed the city’s safety.

Agencies including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration will be permitted to have office space on the island, which houses city jails. They are expected to work with the city’s Correction Intelligence Bureau on investigations into alleged “violent criminals and gangs, crimes committed at or facilitated by persons in DOC custody, and drug trafficking,” per the order.

The document did not specify when the office space would open, how much there would be, or who would cover the costs, but said the Department of Correction and federal agencies will have to enter a formal agreement. The mayor's office did not answer questions Wednesday about these details.

The order was signed by First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro instead of Adams, who usually signs executive orders. Politico reported that Adams was recusing himself from the matter to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest after the dismissal of his federal corruption case last week.

In a statement, Mastro said he visited Rikers "multiple times" since becoming Adams' first deputy last month, and met with jail and federal officials. He said reestablishing offices there for federal law enforcement agents will make the city safer by improving coordination "on criminal investigations — in particular, those focused on violent transnational criminal gangs."

ICE did not immediately respond to inquiries.

The order quickly drew praise from President Donald Trump’s “border czar” — as well as condemnation from civil rights advocates and the head of the City Council.

“This is a great first step in our continuing collaboration to make NYC even safer as President Trump has committed to,” Tom Homan, the border official, tweeted.

The New York Immigration Coalition and New York Civil Liberties Union questioned whether federal authorities would stick to only criminal enforcement at Rikers. They accused the mayor of opening up the door to potential violations of the city’s sanctuary laws and individuals' due process rights.

“New Yorkers see this for what it is: Mayor Adams skirting the City Council, cozying up to Trump, and putting immigrant New Yorkers in harm’s way,” said Zach Ahmad, senior policy counsel at NYCLU, in a statement.

The nonprofit Legal Aid Society also criticized the Adams administration and said it was considering litigation to protect its clients' interests. The group added that the presence of immigration agents on Rikers could deter noncitizens from seeking help or assisting with law enforcement efforts, for fear of deportation.

Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who is running for mayor, said councilmembers were reviewing the order and were prepared to defend against any legal violations.

“It is hard not to see this action as connected to the dismissal of the Mayor’s case and his willingness to cooperate with Trump’s extreme deportation agenda that is removing residents without justification or due process,” she said in a statement.

ICE has been barred from having an office on Rikers Island since the city passed a bill in 2014 that significantly restricts cooperation between immigration officials and the Department of Correction. The law includes exceptions for cases where someone has recently been convicted of a violent or serious crime and a judge has issued a warrant for their arrest. It also limits local and federal agencies’ ability to communicate about immigrant detainees in city custody. Supporters say this helps reduce the chances of people who pose no public safety risk getting unfairly swept into possible deportation, and note that most Rikers detainees are awaiting trial.

In February, Adams announced plans to welcome immigration officials back to Rikers amid allegations that he was seeking to have his corruption charges dropped in exchange for aiding the Trump administration’s immigration policies. He appeared on the national show “Fox & Friends” alongside Homan, who threatened to “be in his office, up his butt” if the mayor failed to implement the plans.

Adams denied the allegations and charges, which a Manhattan judge permanently dismissed last week following maneuvers by the Department of Justice to have them tossed. The judge said he could not force a prosecution and that continuing the case “would create the unavoidable perception that the Mayor’s freedom depends on his ability to carry out the immigration enforcement priorities of the [Trump] administration.”

This story has been updated with additional information.