ICE can’t enter Rikers for now, judge rules

NEW YORK — A state judge Monday temporarily blocked New York Mayor Eric Adams from allowing the federal government to open offices at the Rikers Island jail complex, delaying the mayor’s efforts to help President Donald Trump with his immigration crackdown.

The judge’s temporary restraining order came after the City Council sued the mayor last week in an attempt to stop an executive order that the Adams administration issued to allow federal immigration authorities into Rikers for the first time in more than a decade.

In her order, Justice Mary Rosado of state Supreme Court in Manhattan said City Hall was barred from “taking any steps” toward signing an agreement with the federal government at least until Friday, when she is scheduled to hold a hearing on the lawsuit. The restraining order may be “extended, modified or vacated” after the hearing, she said.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency was banned from city jails in 2014 because of sanctuary laws that sought to stop the transfer of jailed immigrants living in the country illegally into ICE custody for deportation. But Adams, a Democrat, came out in support of permitting ICE to reopen offices at Rikers after meeting several times with Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, who has said getting access to jails was a priority to enact the president’s immigration agenda.

On April 8, Randy Mastro, the first deputy mayor, issued an executive order permitting ICE and other federal agencies to open offices at Rikers, but only for the purpose of conducting criminal investigations — into gangs, for example — and not for the routine enforcement of federal immigration laws, which are primarily civil.

Despite its narrow scope, the executive order drew intense pushback from civil rights groups, immigration activists and fellow Democrats, who argued that it violated the spirit of the city’s sanctuary status and would pave the way for ICE to easily deport Rikers detainees.

The City Council, which is controlled by Democrats who lean to the left of Adams, sued the mayor April 15, arguing that the executive order was “part of a corrupt quid pro quo bargain” between Adams and Trump after the Justice Department ended the federal corruption case against the mayor.

Adams has denied any quid pro quo and has promised to fight the lawsuit, saying that allowing ICE into Rikers was common-sense policy and a matter of public safety.

City Hall has told the court that it is seeking outside counsel after the Law Department — whose lawyers typically represent the administration in legal matters — said it would stay out of the case, an unusual move that led to the delay of a hearing.

“We are grateful that the court agreed with us to delay the hearing until April 25,” said Kayla Mamelak Altus, a spokesperson for the mayor.

She said the administration would not enter into an agreement with the Trump administration over Rikers before the hearing.

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