CNN —

On Thursday, New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams announced his intention to leverage executive powers, permitting federal immigration agents to resume operations within the extensive Rikers Island jail complex. This decision represents a notable departure from the city’s existing sanctuary policies, which have historically limited the enforcement of immigration laws.

“We are currently working to enact an executive order that will restore the operational capacity for ICE agents on Rikers Island, a practice that was standard for two decades,” Adams stated during a press conference on Thursday afternoon.

This revelation is expected to provoke a strong political reaction from City Council members and opponents, occurring shortly after Adams met with border enforcement leader Tom Homan.

Following this, Adams expressed his desire for enhanced collaboration between the city and federal immigration authorities, claiming that several “far-left” members of the city government are attempting to obstruct his efforts.

The sanctuary law established in 2014 has previously barred ICE from operating within the jail system, with the agency’s office officially shut down in 2015. Almost ten years post-ban, Adams indicated that the executive order would stipulate that federal agents on-site should limit their collaboration strictly to inquiries related to criminal and gang activities. Additionally, he plans to instruct the correctional intelligence bureau to work alongside ICE.

“Let us be clear – I am not obstructing the process. Instead, I am advocating for collaboration amidst considerable opposition,” the mayor remarked during an appearance on “Fox and Friends.”

Adams’ executive order may provoke legal challenges from the City Council, which has criticized his position. Speaker Adrienne Adams, alongside Councilmembers Alexa Avilés and Sandy Nurse, stated they will assess their official response based on the forthcoming executive order.

“The mayor’s announcement regarding an executive order permitting access for the Trump administration to Rikers Island is concerning. However, we require the details of any proposed order to assess its legality,” they expressed in a joint statement.

The focus of the Trump Administration on New York has become evident following numerous legal actions taken recently. The Justice Department on Monday instructed federal prosecutors to dismiss corruption charges against Adams to facilitate his assistance with immigration enforcement efforts. Following this, they announced a lawsuit against New York state officials concerning sanctuary policies that limit the state’s collaboration with federal immigration enforcement.

This directive has triggered high-profile resignations within the Justice Department. Adams is under scrutiny from legislators and political opponents who claim that the resolution of the corruption charges could render him reliant on the Trump administration. The order states that the allegations should be dismissed “without prejudice,” allowing for the possibility of re-filing in the future.

Furthermore, FEMA recouped over $80 million that was initially allocated to assist with housing migrants in New York City, an action described as “highway robbery” by city financial watchdog Brad Lander, referring to funds Congress allocated more than two years ago.

Adams’ recent meeting with Homan focused on immigration enforcement as the mayor faces extensive criticism regarding his level of cooperation with the Trump administration in anticipation of the upcoming Democratic primary election in June. This also highlights the Trump administration’s interests in New York City for implementing its immigration enforcement strategies.

Adams pledged to bolster collaboration between local law enforcement and federal immigration agencies. “In some cases, he may have to bypass local laws,” Adams noted regarding Homan. “He holds the authority, as the border czar and with ICE, to implement civil enforcement. That’s not within my purview, and we acknowledged that openly.”

Facing pressure from the Trump administration to support its immigration initiatives, Adams discussed strategies to integrate more New York Police Department detectives into federal task forces targeting “violent gangs and criminal activities.” Earlier this month, the Nassau County Police Department launched a similar initiative embedding local detectives with ICE.

“Ensuring the safety of the 8.3 million residents who call New York City home is — and will always be — our administration’s guiding principle,” Adams remarked.

Advocates, such as Make the Road New York — one of the largest organizations representing migrant interests in the state — argued that placing police officers in federal task forces “directly violates both our city’s regulations and the mayor’s ethical duty to protect New Yorkers.”

Elected as a Democrat in 2021, Adams initially identified as the “Biden of Brooklyn.” Still, he has increasingly criticized the former president’s immigration policies amid an influx of new migrants that has strained the city’s resources and cost billions of dollars. Adams warned that the migrant crisis could “destroy” New York and has called for significant changes to the city’s sanctuary policies in the past year.

In more recent months, he has seemed to align more closely with Trump, having first met with Homan in December to discuss forthcoming immigration policies.

“Tom Homan was frustrated with the mayor because he had made commitments during their December meeting, which he claims the mayor did not fulfill,” stated Councilmember Robert Holden, a Democrat who frequently aligns with Republicans, after meeting with Homan on Thursday.

As a sanctuary city, New York City has regulations that prevent the police department from cooperating in immigration enforcement unless specific conditions are met, particularly concerning serious crimes.

Supporters of sanctuary policies argue that such regulations ultimately enhance safety for all community members, including migrants who may be more susceptible to criminal activity and may hesitate to approach law enforcement.

Adams asserts that the existing sanctuary laws are overly restrictive and has expressed a willingness to enhance partnerships with federal law enforcement. However, accomplishing this will necessitate legislative revisions and support from the City Council.

Kayla Mamelak, a spokesperson for Adams, noted on Wednesday that the city aims to “boost collaboration across law enforcement agencies,” focusing specifically on violent gang-related activities.

“Mayor Adams has made it clear that he desires to collaborate with the federal administration rather than engage in conflict,” Mamelak emphasized. “We will continue to explore all lawful avenues to remove violent offenders from our city.”

Granting access to Rikers Island is one major strategy he proposes to work alongside the Trump administration.

“Re-entering Rikers Island is a transformative move,” remarked Homan, sitting next to Adams during a Fox broadcast.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice took action to revoke the corruption charges that have burdened Adams for months. In a two-page memo released on Monday, Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove directed Danielle Sassoon, the acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York, to dismiss the charges, describing the case as “unduly hindering Mayor Adams’ ability to focus on… illegal immigration and violent crime.”

On Tuesday, Adams expressed support for the DOJ’s decision, proclaiming that he has acted within legal boundaries and has never used his position for personal gain.

“I believe that the Attorney General has clarified her intention to prevent the misuse of the Justice Department, and I encourage that — I’m Eric Adams and I endorse that message,” Adams remarked during an interview with CNN affiliate WNBC on Thursday.

Sassoon resigned from her role in a letter addressed to the attorney general, according to sources familiar with the events.

When questioned by CNN affiliate WCBS about his duty to cooperate with Trump’s administration post-case resolution, Adams remarked that working with the President is inherent to his responsibilities as the mayor of New York City.

“Consider this for a moment. Was I not cooperative with the previous administration? I identified as the Biden of Brooklyn. Who are we kidding? I’m the mayor of this country’s largest city. It would be reckless for me not to engage with the President and his team. I’ve made it clear: I am not here to fight with the president; I’m here to work together,” Adams elaborated.

On Friday, Adams assured Fox News that there was no “quid pro quo” related to the DOJ dropping the charges in return for his compliance with immigration enforcement, asserting that battling the charges distracted him from focusing on law enforcement.

“If I cannot coordinate effectively, that poses a public safety risk, and we should prioritize public safety,” he stated.

He also mentioned to WCBS that discussions regarding additional areas of collaboration with Trump’s administration are underway but he intends to ensure they conform to legal standards before making any public announcements.

The DOJ’s lawsuit targets the Green Light Law, also known as the Driver’s License Access and Privacy Act, enacted in 2019. This law permits certain undocumented migrants to acquire driver’s licenses, while also restricting immigration enforcement agencies from accessing the state’s motor vehicle registration information.

Over 15 states and Washington, D.C. allow undocumented individuals to obtain driver’s licenses, as reported by United We Dream, an immigration advocacy organization.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Wednesday that the Trump administration has initiated legal action against Governor Kathy Hochul, state Attorney General Letitia James, and various state officials.

“This is a new DOJ initiative, and we are undertaking measures to safeguard Americans, including American citizens and Angel Moms,” Bondi declared during a press event on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., referencing mothers of individuals killed by undocumented immigrants.

“Failure to comply with federal law will result in accountability,” Bondi stated. “Strike one was executed in Illinois, strike two is New York, and any state that doesn’t comply will face similar consequences.”

The complaint filed in the Northern District of New York outlines that the Green Light Law obstructs federal immigration enforcement by limiting the sharing of records with federal agencies; the government contends this violates the Supremacy Clause of the US Constitution, which asserts that federal law supersedes state laws and constitutions.

Through this lawsuit, the Department of Justice is seeking a temporary restraining order and a permanent injunction to prevent New York officials from enforcing the law. Additionally, they are requesting that the court deem the law unconstitutional.

“By its intent and design, the Green Light Law constitutes a direct challenge to federal immigration laws and the authorities responsible for enforcing them,” the complaint asserts. “Moreover, the Law has resulted in dangerous repercussions—precisely because it has functioned as anticipated.”

In December, Kenneth Genalo, who was the head of the ICE New York City field office at the time and currently serves as the acting deputy director of ICE, informed CNN that the Green Light Law had hindered its capacity to run license plate checks.

“During our investigations and surveillance operations, when targeting individuals linked to a vehicle, we cannot identify the owner because we lost access to that data from the New York DMV,” he explained.

State officials have rejected the lawsuit, defending the legality of the law.

In response, Hochul referenced past legal victories for the Green Light Law and stated that the law indeed enables officials to access necessary information, provided they have a warrant.

“The facts are clear: our current laws allow federal immigration officials to access any DMV database with a judicial warrant,” Hochul asserted. “This is a straightforward approach supported by the majority of New Yorkers. However, I won’t allow federal agents or Elon Musk’s questionable DOGE endeavors to gain unrestricted access to the personal details of any New Yorker, including vulnerable individuals like 16-year-olds learning to drive.”

James announced her intention to contest the lawsuit in a statement issued Wednesday evening.

“Our state laws, including the Green Light law, safeguard the rights of all New Yorkers and contribute to community safety,” she stated. “I am committed to upholding our laws, just as I always have.”

Hochul was scheduled to meet with Trump on Thursday but postponed the meeting shortly after Bondi announced the lawsuit.

This report has been updated with additional information.