NEW YORK CITY, NY – Tiffany Caban, a New York City council member, released a statement last week criticizing Mayor Eric Adams’ support of President Trump’s Family Separation and Deportation Czar, Tom Homan, by welcoming ICE to Rikers Island.
The statement begins by explaining that, in her resignation letter, former U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon unequivocally stated Adams is compromised, having traded the well-being of New York’s immigrant community for his own protection from prosecution.
The statement reads, “So let me be clear: bringing ICE to Rikers Island will not make New Yorkers safer.”
Caban emphasized allowing ICE into Rikers would undermine due process and breach New York’s established sanctuary city protections.
Caban in her statement charges many of those incarcerated at Rikers Island have not even been convicted of a crime yet and are placed there as a holding facility while their case is pending because they cannot afford to pay high bail.
The Cabana report also maintains the Trump Administration has already torn apart numerous families, deported refugees escaping violence and persecution—including young children, and wrongly labeled immigrants as “gang members” without offering any evidence.
The statement insists, “The excuse of ‘focusing on these violent gangs and criminal activity’ that Adams is parroting will continue to be used to indiscriminately deport and target immigrant communities at large.”
The report concludes with Caban stating ICE should not be present on Rikers Island, adding, “I will continue to fight for safety and justice for everyone. We will not allow anyone to be left behind.”
