Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More
Continue in Browser
Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts.
Please enter a valid zipcode.
Save
During Mayor Eric Adams’ weekly briefing with reporters Tuesday, he deferred to the federal government over concerns surrounding the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder from Columbia University.
“I’ve said it over and over again, that free speech is important and actually this country advocates for that, but when it comes down to the determination of the status of who stays in the country and who doesn’t, that’s the federal government,” he said.
Khalil’s arrest by ICE over the weekend has set off a wave of condemnation from New York’s Democratic officials — but not from Adams.
“I got an opinion about a lot of things,” Adams said. “But my opinion cannot govern the public safety of this city.”
“ICE handles who’s deported and who’s not deported. Not the mayor of New York, not the mayor of this city,” he continued.
In stark contrast, the leader of the State Senate shared her views on Khalil’s ongoing detention.
“It is very distributing to all of us, whether you like what they say or you don’t like what they say. We still have a right in this country to say it and it should be concerning to all of us,” State Senate Majority Leader Andrea-Stewart Cousins said.
The mayor’s refusal to weigh in is not new. Adams frequently dodges questions about Trump and his administration to avoid publicly criticizing the president. It has led to accusations that Adams is biting his tongue because Trump’s justice department is trying to drop corruption charges against him.
Adams was pressed further on what Khalil’s arrest could mean for other pro-Palestinian protesters.
“As a former law enforcement person, I know that there are parts of an investigation that are beyond our understanding. Let the process take its course,” he said.
Separately, Adams was asked about his seeming lack of a visible reelection campaign.
Despite not securing any endorsements or support from elected officials, Adams insists he’s seeking a second term.
“I’ve been doing this for a little bit, and I don’t recall at any time that there was a predetermined list that indicates if someone is actually running or not. So my timetable, I know what I’m doing. I’ve won before, and I’m going to put the chess game in place, and it’s not on anyone else’s timetable,” he said. “Endorsements don’t win races, knocking on doors do.”
The mayor also claimed to have stopped reading the news weeks ago as the race for mayor heats up.
“I just feel so much at ease. I didn’t realize that it’s like almost if you eat junk food every day, you’re going to get physical obesity. I was going through mental obesity.”
The deadline for submitting signatures to appear on the June ballot is April 3. It’s unclear how many signatures the mayor has received so far.
