‘Disappointing But Unsurprising’: The Campaign To End NYC’s Sanctuary Laws Hits Major Snag

New York City voters will have no say in whether a slate of laws protecting illegal immigrant criminals should remain on the books, almost ensuring that the Big Apple’s controversial sanctuary city laws will remain in place.

New York City’s Charter Revision Commission released a report this week, revealing what referendums will be placed on the November ballot for city voters. However, despite a campaign push from a city council’s moderate bloc and support from Mayor Eric Adams, the commission opted not to include a referendum on rolling back laws that severely limit federal immigration authorities’ ability to arrest criminal illegal migrants. (RELATED ‘Sanctuary’ County Repeatedly Ignored Detainers On Latin Street Gang Member Convicted Of Manslaughter, ICE Says)

“The Commission has heard considerable testimony calling on the Commission to propose an amendment to change so-called ‘sanctuary city’ laws — a term that is often used to refer to policies respecting information-sharing and cooperation between the City and federal authorities,” the commission report stated. “In view of the repeated executive and legislative actions in this area, judicial construction of relevant state law, and the ongoing and fluid challenges posed by the influx of new arrivals to the City, the Commission does not believe a ballot question concerning this important area is appropriate at this time.”

The commission’s decision was not met warmly by moderate members of the New York City Council, who held out hope that a voter referendum would finally bring an end to the city’s laws protecting criminal illegal immigrants.

“As far as I can tell right now, the referendum is dead,” GOP Councilwoman Vickie Paladino said in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation. “It’s disappointing but unsurprising that the charter commission will not be allowing the people their say on such a massively important issue.”

Paladino is a member of the New York City Council’s Common Sense Caucus, a bipartisan group of nine council members who push for moderate policies. Following a slate of high-profile crimes allegedly at the hands of illegal immigrants in the city, these moderate legislators made a public push for change.

The Common Sense Caucus introduced legislation last month that, if passed, would repeal laws that prohibit New York City law enforcement from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The proposed legislation would also repeal a law that prevents city officials from partnering with ICE agents to enforce federal immigration laws and prohibits the use of city resources to help deportation officers.

The bill takes specific aim at sanctuary laws passed by former Mayor Bill de Blasio, who signed into law a bill in 2014 that largely limits the New York Police Department from working with ICE agents and enacted guidance in 2018 that doubled down on the policy.

At the announcement of the anti-sanctuary city proposal, Common Sense Caucus members said changes were necessary because, “We have enough criminals in this city” and added that illegal immigrants who commit crimes should be “deported without hesitation.”

Adams earlier this month threw his support behind the campaign to reform these sanctuary laws, giving the effort major momentum. The Democratic mayor at the time said that de Blasio’s administration “made a big mistake.”

Adam’s show of support for reform appeared to be genuine, given that an ICE spokesman in May confirmed that the mayor’s office and federal immigration authorities had been meeting at the negotiating table on how both sides could work around the city’s strict sanctuary laws.

However, a bill aiming to roll back the Big Apple’s sanctuary laws was never expected to fare well in a city council dominated by liberal Democrats — even if it touted support from the mayor and other Democratic leaders. Anti-sanctuary city proponents pinned their hopes on a newly-established commission, created just two months ago by the mayor’s office.

The Charter Revision Commission analyzed pressing issues facing the city, heard from the public and then ultimately decided what referendums would be put directly to the voters in the upcoming November elections. The Common Sense Caucus had lobbied the commission hard to give New York City voters a voice on whether to keep the sanctuary laws in place.

The commission, however, ultimately decided not to give voters a choice.

“The fact is that our city’s sanctuary city status has become deeply unpopular, even among Democrat voters, and was almost certain to be defeated by voters if a vote was allowed,” Paladino said to the DCNF. “But once again, the party which lectures us about ‘democracy’ is not actually interested in practicing it.”

“Fact is the Democrat party is completely dedicated to open borders and all the chaos which goes with it, and will never allow any measures to enable immigration enforcement no matter how bad things get or what voters actually want. Make no mistake — if they thought the voters of NYC were going to uphold the law, the referendum would be on the ballot with great fanfare.” (RELATED: Sanctuary Cities Crack Down On Shelter Programs After Rolling Out Red Carpet For Illegal Migrants)

Paladino wasn’t the only Common Sense Caucus member to rip the commission’s decision.

Council Member Robert Holden, a Democrat and co-chair of the caucus, said the commission missed a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to correct the “failures” of the city’s sanctuary laws, according to a statement provided to the DCNF. Holden also appeared to suggest that the commission was never actually interested in giving voters a choice on this issue.

“At a time when our borders are porous, and terrorists are slipping through, not including this on the ballot is a colossal failure. This was nothing but a dog and pony show,” the Democrat said, and added that his office is investigating the matter via a records request to the Commission for all written comments and testimony regarding the proposed referendum. 

The commission’s decision follows an incredibly fraught time for a city dealing with an ongoing migrant crisis.

More than 208,000 migrants have descended upon New York City since the crisis began, fomenting an “explosion” in NYC’s shelter population and taxpayer expenditures, the commission’s own report acknowledges. The city expects to dole out over $12 billion managing the crisis through 2025.

NYC’s migrant crisis has received further scrutiny following several high profile crimes committed by illegal migrants, such as the arrest of Bernardo Raul Castro Mata for allegedly shooting at two NYPD cops during a foot pursuit or the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl at knifepoint by another illegal migrant.

The city has also been a recipient of Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s migrant bussing, an initiative his office has vowed to continue until the White House properly addresses the border crisis. Attempts by Adams to move many migrants elsewhere in the state last year was met with chagrin by the local leaders who did not want them in their communities.

However, hope still remains with at least some supporters of the anti-sanctuary measure. The fight will continue to repeal the law.

“It does not look like repeal of Sanctuary City will be put on the ballot this year,” GOP Council Member David Carr said to the DCNF. “That doesn’t mean it will never happen, but the Charter Revision Commission is clearly missing a chance to restore public safety by allowing local enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.”

“That is disappointing, but my colleagues and I will continue to fight to get these absurd and dangerous laws repealed,” Carr stated.

Adams’ office did not respond to a request for comment from the DCNF.

Republished with permission from The Daily Caller News Foundation.