New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has escalated the city’s standoff with the Trump administration over immigration enforcement, signing an executive order aimed at strengthening sanctuary protections and limiting cooperation with federal authorities.
Mamdani signed Executive Order No. 13 during Friday’s Interfaith Breakfast at the New York Public Library, describing it as “a sweeping reaffirmation of commitment to our immigrant neighbors.” The move comes amid intensified U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the region and growing political friction across the Tri-State Area.
“ICE is more than a rogue agency — it is a manifestation of the abuse of power,” Mamdani told faith leaders gathered from across the five boroughs.
The executive order directs city agencies not to share information collected for municipal purposes with federal immigration authorities, except where required by law. Agencies have 14 days to appoint privacy officers and review internal policies to ensure compliance.
The order specifically requires the NYPD, Department of Correction, Department of Probation, Administration for Children’s Services, and Department of Social Services to audit and publicly update their policies regarding interactions with federal immigration agents.
Additionally, the directive states that federal immigration officers may not enter city-owned property — including schools, shelters, hospitals, parking facilities, and other public spaces — without a judicial warrant. City employees are to receive training on how to respond to federal immigration authorities.
Alongside the order, Mamdani launched a “Know Your Rights” campaign aimed at distributing more than 30,000 multilingual flyers outlining individuals’ legal protections during ICE encounters, including the right to remain silent and request legal counsel.
“No New Yorker should be afraid to apply for city services like child care because they are an immigrant,” Mamdani said.
The Department of Homeland Security sharply criticized the move. In a statement to CBS News New York, a DHS spokesperson argued that restricting local cooperation with federal immigration authorities would make the city less safe.
“When politicians bar local law enforcement from working with DHS, our law enforcement officers have to have a more visible presence so that we can find and apprehend the criminals let out of jails and back into communities,” the spokesperson said.
DHS further claimed that it is seeking custody of more than 7,000 individuals in New York who it identifies as “criminal illegal aliens” with active detainers.
