Caribbean immigration advocates welcome ruling barring ICE office at prison
NEW YORK, United States (CMC) – Caribbean immigration advocates on Friday welcomed a preliminary injunction by the Supreme Court of the State of New York barring New York City Mayor Eric Adams from opening an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office at Rikers Island Correctional Facility.
New York City Council, on April 15, filed a lawsuit requesting a temporary restraining order (TRO) and a preliminary injunction against Mayor Adams’ Executive Order 50 allowing United States (US) Immigration and Customs Enforcement to operate an office on Rikers Island Correctional Facility that would facilitate the deportation of Caribbean and other immigrants.
The executive order was issued by New York City First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro on April 8.
On Friday, New York State Supreme Court Judge Mary Rosado granted a preliminary injunction to further halt the Adams administration from implementing it.
The decision came after she previously issued an interim TRO on April 21, prohibiting the execution and negotiation of any Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) related to the executive order.
“Justice prevailed in New York City today as Mayor Adams was blocked from launching one more attack on our immigrant neighbors,” Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) on Friday. NYIC is an umbrella policy and advocacy organisation that represents over 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York.
“The State Supreme Court’s ruling will effectively prevent thousands of New Yorkers a year from being deported simply because they were accused, not even convicted, of a crime,” he added.
“New York City should not be in the business of carrying out Donald Trump’s mass disappearance agenda, which is, in fact, illegal under our local laws,” Awawdeh continued.
The NYIC president commended the City Council “for taking bold action against this reckless move by Mayor Adams”.
“We will keep fighting for a future where every single New Yorker – no matter when they arrived here – can live their lives free of fear,” he said.
