SouthernWorldwide.com – New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has released findings from an audit of six city agencies, which accuse federal immigration agents of employing aggressive and misleading tactics. The audits were conducted to ensure compliance with the city’s sanctuary laws.
These audits and their subsequent recommendations were initiated under Executive Order 13. This order mandated a public safety audit for six specific city agencies: the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), the New York Police Department (NYPD), and the Departments of Correction (DOC), Probation (DOP), Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and Social Services (DSS).
Mayor Mamdani issued this executive order upon taking office. It was part of his commitment to protecting the city’s immigrant communities.
The executive summary, spanning 19 pages, provides a detailed account of interactions between city agencies and federal immigration authorities. It also outlines recommendations aimed at closing loopholes and addressing blind spots within the city’s sanctuary policies.
Faiza Ali, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, stated that the findings and recommendations will enhance city agencies’ protocols when interacting with federal authorities. This will ensure that all New Yorkers, regardless of their immigration status, can safely access the city services they are entitled to.
A significant finding was the intensified targeting of city shelters by federal immigration authorities. This has led to a sharp increase in detainer requests submitted to the city’s Department of Correction and the New York Police Department. The report further alleges that immigration authorities have utilized aggressive and deceptive methods.
In 2025, the NYPD received a staggering 3,672 requests for civil immigration detainers. This represents a dramatic surge from the 99 requests received in the preceding year. Notably, the NYPD did not transfer any individuals to ICE in response to these requests.
The report details an incident in June 2025 where Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel visited a shelter. They initially misrepresented themselves as Fire Department officials. It was only after a city employee demanded identification that they admitted to being with DHS.
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In April 2025, officers from multiple federal agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), DHS, the FBI, and the DEA, visited shelters on ten occasions. These visits sometimes occurred with agents in plainclothes. Tactics employed included requesting “wellness checks” on children as a pretext to inquire about specific clients.
In other instances, agents presented subpoenas or administrative warrants. These documents do not legally grant access to shelters. However, on two separate occasions, legally binding judicial warrants were presented, which resulted in one arrest.
The report also recounts an incident where ICE agents entered a Department of Probation (DOP) building in Brooklyn. They requested to use the restroom but then attempted to examine the facility’s sign-in book. Staff members intervened, checked their identification, and escorted them out.
Mayor Mamdani has been a prominent critic of ICE and the Trump administration’s immigration policies. He described the audit as a “critical step towards strengthening compliance with our local laws and reinforcing New York City’s protections for immigrant communities.”
He further stated his pride in sharing the audit’s key findings and recommendations. These are intended to ensure the city responds effectively to the evolving nature of federal immigration enforcement and protects the rights of all New Yorkers, irrespective of their immigration status.
A statement from the Trump administration, however, countered these findings. It asserted that ICE officers act heroically to enforce the law and protect American communities. The statement suggested that local officials should collaborate with ICE rather than oppose them, implying that any opposition serves the interests of “criminal illegal aliens.” The administration reiterated its commitment to enforcing federal immigration law.
The report includes several recommendations aimed at improving the city’s approach to federal immigration enforcement interactions. These recommendations include:
- Strengthening protocols for responding to detainer requests from federal immigration agencies.
- Ensuring clear identification procedures for all federal agents interacting with city agencies and shelters.
- Establishing clear guidelines on the types of warrants that permit federal agents access to city facilities and shelters.
- Providing enhanced training for city agency staff on their rights and responsibilities when interacting with federal immigration authorities.
- Improving inter-agency communication and data sharing to better track interactions with federal immigration agencies.
