New York City Mayor Eric Adams&#8217; administration on Tuesday reversed a decade-long sanctuary policy by allowing ICE to resume operations at Rikers Island jail to target criminal gangs and drug trafficking.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) previously had a presence on the detention island along with other federal law enforcement agencies, with Rikers frequently transferring illegal immigrants into federal custody for deportation.
However, ICE was evicted from the notorious island in 2014 by the city’s sanctuary city law, effectively prohibiting any cooperation between the prison and federal law enforcement in deporting criminal aliens.
The executive order, <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/assets/home/downloads/pdf/executive-orders/2025/eo-50.pdf">issued</a> Tuesday, authorizes ICE&#8217;s Homeland Security Investigations division to establish an office at Rikers to collaborate on targeting violent criminals, gangs, and drug trafficking, according to ABC News.
“It is critical that federal law enforcement agencies are able to share intelligence with the Department of Correction and NYPD in real-time about criminal gang activity among individuals both inside and outside of DOC custody,” the order states.
The order also extends office space to other federal agencies including the FBI, ATF, DEA, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Adams <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/nyc-lets-immigration-officials-open-office-rikers-jail-120648909">announced</a> plans to allow ICE agents to resume operations at Rikers in February following a meeting with Trump border czar Tom Homan, according to ABC News.
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Thank you Mayor Adams and Deputy Mayor Mastro! This is a great first step in our continuing collaboration to make NYC even safer as President Trump has committed to. Promises Made. Promises Kept. ~ Thomas D. Homan U.S. Border Czar
&mdash; Thomas D. Homan (@RealTomHoman) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealTomHoman/status/1909767895439274144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;We cannot collaborate with ICE on civil enforcement, but we can for criminal enforcement. That is what we are doing,&#8221; Adams explained during a radio interview Wednesday. &#8220;That&#8217;s in complete conformity with the law.&#8221;
Adams&#8217; decision marks a significant shift in how one of America&#8217;s largest sanctuary cities approaches collaboration with federal immigration enforcement, even as Rikers is still barred from cooperating with ICE in the realm of civil enforcement.
The Rikers Island jail complex, located on an isolated island in the East River, has long suffered from disorder and neglect and currently <a href="https://apnews.com/article/rikers-island-jail-reform-contempt-reform-nyc-57d73548e61a28675e80ac0a2d927064">faces</a> a possible federal takeover.
Under the new executive order, ICE&#8217;s Homeland Security Investigations division will focus specifically on transnational crime at the facility, working with city corrections officials on criminal investigations and &#8220;related intelligence sharing&#8221; efforts targeting violent criminals, gangs, crimes committed in jails, and drug trafficking.
First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro, who issued the order, emphasized that this arrangement mirrors Rikers&#8217; relationship with ICE that existed pre-2014.
&#8220;This is about public safety and protecting all New Yorkers,&#8221; Mastro said in a statement.
When questioned about the timing of this decision coming shortly after federal prosecutors dropped corruption charges against him, Mayor Adams firmly rejected any connection. &#8220;There is no beholdening,&#8221; he stated during a Wednesday radio interview with WINS.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams Visits “Fox & Friends”

NYC Mayor Adams Reverses Sanctuary Policy, Restores ICE Presence On Rikers Island

Eric Adams

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

New York City

Trump Administration

U.S.

Just one day after a federal judge <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-dismisses-corruption-case-against-nyc-mayor-eric-adams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dismissed</a> his corruption case, New York City Democratic Mayor Eric Adams announced that he is running for re-election as an independent, skipping the Democratic primary to focus on November&#8217;s general election.
Adams, who has served as mayor since 2022, said that the months-long corruption case brought against him &#8220;dragged on too long, making it impossible to mount a primary campaign while these false accusations were held over me.&#8221; He was indicted on federal charges last September that included accepting payment for overseas travel expenses paid by wealthy Turkish nationals.
In an announcement video posted to X, Adams said that while he remains a Democrat, he will &#8220;forego the Democratic primary for mayor and appeal directly to all New Yorkers as an independent candidate in the general election.&#8221; Adams <a href="https://abc7ny.com/post/nyc-mayoral-race-2025-new-york-city-candidates-mayor-push-back-comments-made-andrew-cuomo/16118468/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trails</a> other Democrats in <a href="https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2025/3/26/cuomo-leads-nyc-mayors-race-with-39-mamdani-at-15-all-other-candidates-in-single-digits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">polling</a> for the June 24 primary. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned as governor amid sexual harassment allegations, leads Democratic candidates in the race, followed by Queens Assemblyman Zohran Momdani and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.
Adams added, &#8220;I firmly believe that this city is served by truly independent leadership, not leaders pulled at by the extremists on the far-Left or the far-Right, but instead those rooted in the common middle, the place where the vast majority of New Yorkers are firmly planted.&#8221;
&#8220;New Yorkers are strong and they deserve strong leadership,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;And when New Yorkers worry about their bills at the kitchen table or feeling safe on a subway platform, they don&#8217;t expect a political party to help. They want leadership from a person who understands their struggle and their story.&#8221;
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&mdash; Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) <a href="https://twitter.com/ericadamsfornyc/status/1907746357781107095?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The decision gives Adams more time to submit his petitions to the Board of Elections to qualify for the ballot, The New York Post reported. Instead of submitting the petitions on Thursday to qualify for the Democratic primary, the mayor has until May 27 to come up with 3,750 more petitions. According to the Post, Adams has just $3 million cash on hand as he struggles to regain New Yorkers&#8217; trust following the corruption accusations.
U.S. District Judge Dale Ho dismissed the charges against Adams on Wednesday &#8220;with prejudice,&#8221; meaning the Department of Justice cannot bring charges against Adams in the future based on the same evidence. Adams was indicted by the DOJ under the Biden administration, a move that senior Trump officials argued was politically motivated to punish Adams for his criticism of former President Joe Biden&#8217;s immigration policies.
The DOJ dropped the case against Adams weeks after President Donald Trump was sworn into office, and Adams made an appearance with Trump&#8217;s border czar Tom Homan on &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; after the case was dropped to discuss cracking down on violent illegal immigrants in New York.
In his dismissal of the case, Ho stressed the importance of formally dropping it &#8220;with prejudice,&#8221; writing that if the DOJ were allowed to resurrect the charges, it “would create the unavoidable perception that the Mayor’s freedom depends on his ability to carry out the immigration enforcement priorities of the administration, and that he might be more beholden to the demands of the federal government than to the wishes of his own constituents.”

Eric Adams Back In NYC Mayor Race – As An Independent

Democrats

Election

Elections

Mayor

New York

Politics

The corruption case against New York City Democratic Mayor Eric Adams was dismissed &#8220;with prejudice&#8221; by a federal judge on Wednesday.
Adams was indicted on charges that included accepting overseas travel paid for by wealthy Turkish nationals. The mayor pleaded not guilty to the charges. The dismissal of the case &#8220;with prejudice&#8221; means the Department of Justice cannot bring charges against Adams in the future based on the same evidence, CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/02/eric-adams-case-dismissed-new-york-trump-doj.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
In his order on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Dale Ho denied the DOJ&#8217;s request to dismiss the case &#8220;without prejudice,&#8221; which would have allowed the federal government to resurrect the corruption charges against Adams in the future. Ho wrote that a dismissal without prejudice “would create the unavoidable perception that the Mayor’s freedom depends on his ability to carry out the immigration enforcement priorities of the administration, and that he might be more beholden to the demands of the federal government than to the wishes of his own constituents.”
After President Donald Trump was sworn into office, the DOJ <a href="https://x.com/ChadMizelle47/status/1892268416267911251" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped</a> its corruption case against Adams, saying, &#8220;Prosecutorial misconduct and political agendas will no longer be tolerated.&#8221; Senior Trump administration officials have argued that the Biden administration targeted Adams after the Democratic mayor pushed back on President Joe Biden&#8217;s immigration policies. Adams criticized the former president multiple times over the lack of border security as New York City experienced waves of illegal immigrants coming to its streets throughout the Biden years.
Shortly after the Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/eric-adams-teams-up-with-tom-homan-after-doj-drops-corruption-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped</a> the case against Adams, the mayor teamed up with Trump&#8217;s border czar, Tom Homan, to crack down on violent illegal immigrants in New York City. During an appearance on &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; in February, Adams pushed back against allegations of a quid pro quo with the Trump DOJ. Adams called the allegations “silly,” adding that he has been calling for more immigration enforcement in NYC since 2022 — before the bribery charges were brought against him.
Adams is up for re-election this year and faces an uphill battle in the Democratic primary, which will be decided in June. Former New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo is currently <a href="https://abc7ny.com/post/nyc-mayoral-race-2025-new-york-city-candidates-mayor-push-back-comments-made-andrew-cuomo/16118468/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leading</a> in the polls, while Queens Assemblyman Zohran Momdani sits in second place. Adams has yet to officially register for the primary.

Federal Judge Dismisses Corruption Case Against NYC Mayor Eric Adams

Courts

Department of Justice

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) announced on Saturday that he is throwing his hat in the ring to be the next mayor of New York City.
The announcement from Cuomo comes after he was forced to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-andrew-cuomo-to-resign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resign</a> in 2021 over allegations of sexual harassment from roughly a dozen women — which he strongly denied.
&#8220;Today, our New York City is in trouble,&#8221; he said in his announcement video. &#8220;You feel it when you walk down the street and try not to make eye contact with a mentally ill homeless person, or when the anxiety rises up in your chest as you&#8217;re walking down into the subway. You see it in the empty store fronts, the graffiti, the grime, the migrant influx, the random violence. The city just feels threatening, out of control, and in crisis. These conditions exist not as an act of God, but rather as an act of our political leaders, or more precisely, the lack of intelligent action by many of our political leaders.&#8221;
He championed leftist causes, including gun control, &#8220;LGBTQ&#8221; rights, green energy, and touted achievements like the renovation of La Guardia Airport.
Cuomo spoke at length about the city&#8217;s crime problems, saying that Democrats who championed the &#8220;defund the police&#8221; movement needed to stop.
&#8220;We must acknowledge the simple truth that they are just plain wrong, deadly wrong,&#8221; he said. &#8220;They set us back, and we must now return to actually fighting crime.&#8221;
He said that the city needed a significant increase in its police force and needed to show more force in the subways to stop the crime problem that has plagued the public transportation system in recent years.
Cuomo spoke out strongly against anti-Semitism that has erupted in recent years, but, unlike more woke Democrats, did not mention anything about Islamophobia — a sign that he is appealing to more moderates and maybe even some more conservative voters in the city.
The most shocking moment of the video came when he touted his response to the coronavirus pandemic, claiming that he &#8220;led the country&#8221; despite his widely criticized response, including his nursing home scandal.
&#8220;Did I always do everything right in my years of government service? Of course not,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Would I do some things differently, knowing what I know now? Certainly. Did I make mistakes? Some painfully, definitely, and I believe I learned from them, and that I am a better person for it, and I hope to show you that every day, but I promise you this: I know what needs to be done, and I know how to do it, and I will give it my all to get the job done, and it will get done.&#8221;
WATCH:
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Our city is in crisis. That’s why I am running to be Mayor of New York City. We need government to work. We need effective leadership. <a href="https://t.co/a0vVYRF4iP">https://t.co/a0vVYRF4iP</a> <a href="https://t.co/JIrhD1Edqs">pic.twitter.com/JIrhD1Edqs</a>
— Andrew Cuomo (@andrewcuomo) <a href="https://twitter.com/andrewcuomo/status/1895891752864924012?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2025</a></blockquote>

New York Gov. Cuomo Speaks On Gun Violence Prevention

Andrew Cuomo Launches Bid To Be Mayor Of New York City

Andrew Cuomo

New York Governor Kathy Hochul will announce that New York City Mayor Eric Adams will not be immediately removed from office, instead proposing new oversight measures after federal prosecutors dropped Adams’ corruption case.
Hochul will <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nyc-mayor-new-york-trump-14be53dca175ef4bf8a3c4204ba7ff05">hold</a> a news conference on Thursday to rebuke Adams for the conduct alleged in the now-dropped corruption case and will propose measures to curtail the mayor’s independence, per the AP.
Hochul has consulted with top New York Democrats for several days regarding Adams, with the governor having “serious questions about the long-term future of this mayoral administration.” However, she has been reluctant to remove Adams, an action she has deemed &#8220;undemocratic,&#8221; and is nearly unprecedented in state history.
Among the measures Hochul will propose is a fund that would enable the city’s comptroller, public advocate, and council speaker to bring lawsuits against the federal government if local interests clash with federal policy. Hochul is even proposing the appointment of a new deputy inspector charged solely with overseeing Adams’ government.
In addition, a significant increase in resources for the state comptroller has been outlined, with the aim of bolstering investigations into city finances.
While details of how these oversight mechanisms will be enforced remain unclear, officials familiar with the plan say these guardrails could have far-reaching consequences for the balance of authority between state and city governance.
Mayor Adams has remained resolute amid mounting pressure to resign. “I will never surrender, never step down … I’m going to step up and fight,” he said Wednesday as he continued to insist that he committed no wrongdoing.
Although Adams’ short-term future looks slightly more secure, Hochul’s proposed oversight initiatives pose yet another challenge to an administration already plagued by resignations from top officials and the threat of removal via a so-called Committee of Mayoral Inability; likely to be assembled if Adams does not provide the comptroller with a governance plan within the next several days.
According to The New York Times, the committee would be <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/nyregion/adrienne-adams-mayor-resign.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comprised</a> of five members if assembled: &#8220;a deputy mayor chosen by the mayor; his corporation counsel; the speaker of the City Council; New York City comptroller, and the most senior of the five borough presidents.&#8221; Adams can be removed if four of the five members vote the mayor is unable to govern effectively.
Federal prosecutors’ decision to drop Mayor Adams’ case still awaits final court approval, leaving several unanswered questions about how or when the oversight legislation might move forward.

US-NEWS-NYC-MAYOR-INDICTMENT-HOCHUL-2-NY

New York Governor Hochul Moves To Rein In Mayor Adams’ Power After Corruption Case Dropped

Corruption

General

Kathy Hochul

The federal judge overseeing the corruption case against New York City Democratic Mayor Eric Adams said he needs time to consider the Justice Department’s decision to drop the corruption charges. 
U.S. District Judge Dale Ho said Wednesday at a hearing in Manhattan that it was not in “anyone’s interest” for the case to “drag on,” but he still needs to evaluate the arguments for dropping the case. The DOJ argued that the prosecution brought by the Biden administration was politically motivated and could interfere with the upcoming NYC mayoral election in November. 
“I’m not going to shoot from the hip right here on the bench,” Ho <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/judge-delays-decision-whether-dismiss-ny-mayor-eric-adams-corruption-c-rcna192581" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “I want to make sure that I consider everything appropriate, and that I don’t consider anything inappropriate, and make a reasoned decision that is mindful of my role, which I understand here is quite narrow.”
Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove told Ho that the DOJ was choosing to exercise its prosecutorial discretion to drop the case over concerns about the weaponization of government. 
“What is set forth here is my conclusion that this case, as a matter of prosecutorial discretion, should not proceed because it reflects, at minimum, appearances of impropriety that give cause for concern about abuse of the criminal justice process,” he said. 
This was in line with a DOJ <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-to-argue-biden-admins-case-against-eric-adams-was-politically-motivated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">briefing</a> on Tuesday where senior officials said the department would argue that the Biden administration weaponized the government to prosecute Adams. One compared the prosecution of Adams to the case that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg brought against President Donald Trump. 
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Ho also asked about allegations that had been floated, such as a quid pro quo between Adams and the DOJ before the move to drop the case. Both the DOJ and Adams have said this is false, and there was no agreement. 
“It never happened,” attorney Alex Spiro, who represents Adams, said on Wednesday, adding that he would be willing to testify to the statement. 
The DOJ&#8217;s decision to drop the case has caused drama within its Southern District of New York office, with publicized resignation letters from prosecutors over the decision. Bove said after the hearing on Wednesday that staffers who are not in line with the DOJ’s priorities should quit. 
“For those at the Department who are with me in those battles and understand that there are no separate sovereigns in this Executive Branch, we’re going to do great things to make America safe again,” he <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/02/20/new-york-mayor-eric-adams-updates/79289910007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;For those who do not support our critical mission, I understand there are templates for resignation letters available on the websites of the New York Times and CNN.”

NYC Mayor Adams Attends Court Hearing On DOJ Motion To Drop Corruption Charges

Judge Says He Needs Time To Consider DOJ’s Move To End Prosecution Of NYC Mayor

Chad Mizelle, the Chief of Staff at the Department of Justice under the leadership of Attorney General Pam Bondi, explained on Wednesday the decision to drop the criminal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D).
Critics have accused Adams and the Trump administration of corruption after the new administration dropped federal bribery charges against Adams, alleging a deal was made in exchange for Adams complying with federal immigration authorities.
&#8220;Prosecutorial misconduct and political agendas will no longer be tolerated,&#8221; Mizelle <a href="https://x.com/ChadMizelle47/status/1892268416267911251">posted</a> on X. &#8220;The case against Mayor Adams was just one in a long history of past DOJ actions that represent grave errors of judgement. This DOJ is going back to basics.&#8221;
Mizelle said there were &#8220;unique concerns&#8221; surrounding the decision to prosecute Adams because he is the mayor of America&#8217;s largest city.
He said that the problem with the case centered around the legal theories used to build it and recent losses by the DOJ at the Supreme Court in similar cases.
Mizelle continued:
<blockquote>Clearly, this history and case law underscores the legal risks associated with prosecuting Mayor Adams. DOJ could win a bribery conviction against a public official only by showing some official act in exchange for benefits.
The alleged official act in the indictment, however, took place before Adams was mayor. And one of the main benefits that the Mayor allegedly received was campaign contributions. But all successful politicians, no matter the party, receive campaign contributions.
In the Adams case, SDNY was rolling the dice. And given the DOJ&#8217;s abysmal history of losing at the Supreme Court, the odds were against the DOJ. Even the district judge said at a recent hearing that there was “some force” to Adams’s challenges to the gov&#8217;ts central legal theory.
The government must tread particularly carefully before classifying contributions a crime given the First Amendment implications of such a theory.</blockquote>
He added that prosecuting the case would take an enormous amount of resources — totaling many thousands of man hours — that he said could be better spent &#8220;arresting violent criminals to keep New York safe or prosecuting gang and cartel members.&#8221;
Mizelle&#8217;s statement comes as New York Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul suggested this week that she might remove Adams from office due to the “alleged conduct” that has occurred at City Hall in recent weeks.
Hochul’s statement came after four top officials resigned from Adams’ administration — Deputy Mayors Maria Torres-Springer, Anne Williams-Isom, Meera Joshi, and Chauncey Parker — because of recent developments.
“I recognize the immense responsibility I hold as governor and the constitutional powers granted to this office,” she continued. “In the 235 years of New York State history, these powers have never been utilized to remove a duly-elected mayor; overturning the will of the voters is a serious step that should not be taken lightly. That said, the alleged conduct at City Hall that has been reported over the past two weeks is troubling and cannot be ignored.”
Adams was <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/new-york-city-mayor-eric-adams-charged-bribery-and-campaign-finance-offenses">indicted</a> in September on one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Federal Program Bribery, and to Receive Campaign Contributions By Foreign Nationals; one count of Wire Fraud; one count of Bribery, and two counts of Solicitation of a Contribution by a Foreign National.
Prosecutors had alleged that Adams began soliciting and accepting improper benefits as a public official dating back to 2014, including luxury international travel from wealthy foreign businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official seeking to gain influence over him.
Adams “not only accepted, but sought illegal campaign contributions to his 2021 mayoral campaign, as well as other things of value, from foreign nationals,” the indictment said.
Prosecutors said those who had illegally donated to Adams’ campaign sought to cash in on their investment and were rewarded with “favorable treatment.”
Adams “sought and accepted illegal campaign contributions in the form of ‘nominee’ or ‘straw’ contributions, meaning that the true contributors conveyed their money through nominal donors, who falsely certified they were contributing their own money,” the indictment said.
He allegedly compounded his corrupt gains by using them to defraud the city and steal from public funds.
“New York City has a matching funds program that matches small-dollar contributions from individual City residents with up to eight times their amount in public funds, to give New Yorkers a greater voice in elections,” the indictment said. “Adam’s campaigns applied for matching funds based on known straw donations, fraudulently obtaining as much as $2,000 in public funds for each illegal contribution.”
Adams sought and received improper benefits from some of the foreigners illegally funding his campaign, court documents alleged, including paying for numerous luxury travel benefits that totaled $100,000.
The mayor “and others working at his direction, repeatedly took steps to shield his solicitation and acceptance of these benefits from public scrutiny,” the indictment said. “Adams did not disclose the travel benefits he had obtained in annual financial disclosures he was required to file as a New York City employee. Sometimes, Adams agreed to pay a nominal fee to create the appearance of having paid for travel that was in fact heavily discounted. Other times, Adams created and instructed others to create fake paper trails, falsely suggesting that he had paid.”
According to the indictment, one of the Turkish officials who gave to Adams told him in September 2021 that it was his turn to repay the illegal donations he received by “pressuring the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) to facilitate the opening of a new Turkish consular building – a 36-story skyscraper – without a fire inspection, in time for a high-profile visit by Turkey’s president.”
“At the time, the building would have failed an FDNY inspection,” the indictment said. “In exchange for free travel and other travel-related bribes in 2021 and 2022 arranged by the Turkish Official, Adams did as instructed. Because of Adams’s pressure on the FDNY, the FDNY official responsible for the FDNY’s assessment of the skyscraper’s fire safety was told that he would lose his job if he failed to acquiesce, and, after ADAMS intervened, the skyscraper opened as requested by the Turkish Official.”
If convicted on all charges, Adams faced up to 45 years in prison.

Mayor Eric Adams speaks during press briefing at City Hall.

Top DOJ Official Explains Decision To Drop Charges Against NYC Mayor Eric Adams

Crime

The Justice Department on Wednesday will argue that the Biden administration weaponized the government to prosecute New York City Democratic Mayor Eric Adams, according to a senior DOJ official. 
U.S. District Judge Dale Ho ordered the DOJ to appear in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday afternoon to explain its reasoning behind its motion last week to drop the case against Adams. Adams, who has faced corruption charges, was directed to file a written consent form for the DOJ’s motion to dismiss and appear before the court. 
Ho <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.628915/gov.uscourts.nysd.628915.129.0_1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ordered</a> that the DOJ be prepared to address the “reasons for the Government’s motion” to dismiss.  
The DOJ is expected to tell the judge that the case was dropped in part because of President Donald Trump’s <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/28/2025-01900/ending-the-weaponization-of-the-federal-government">executive order</a> aimed at “ending the weaponization of the federal government.” 
A senior DOJ official said during a Tuesday briefing that the case against Adams was &#8220;politically motivated&#8221; and “weak,” relying on “unprecedented legal theories.” The official compared the prosecution of Adams to the case that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg brought against Trump. 
“First, you had a years-long investigation where a target was picked before charges were decided,” the official said. “[Southern District New York’s Office] just decided that they were going to go after the mayor. Those efforts, just like the DA’s office, accelerated after a precipitating event.” 
The official said that the precipitating event for the Trump prosecution was his comeback presidential campaign, while for Adams, it was criticism of the Biden administration in the fall of 2022. 
On Friday, the DOJ filed a <a href="https://static01.nyt.com/newsgraphics/documenttools/6f954cd6d36e9609/760d2bec-full.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">motion</a> to dismiss the case against Adams, arguing that to continue to prosecute would violate Trump’s order against the weaponization of government by interfering with the upcoming 2025 mayoral elections.
The official said that reports of a quid pro quo between Adams and the Trump administration were “made up.” There had been speculation that the DOJ was dropping the case in return for Adams to cooperate with Trump’s immigration agenda. 
The DOJ official said the decision was made over the issue of potential interference with the 2025 election and Adams&#8217;s ability to govern NYC.
The senior DOJ official added that there was an active internal investigation into “personnel at SDNY who were involved in insubordination and other politically motivated activities” related to the Adams case. This came after there was resistance to dropping the case from inside the office and publicized resignation letters over the directive. 
“There is no room for that behavior here in President Trump’s executive branch and certainly not in this building,” the official said, describing the DOJ’s actions as a ”civics lesson for the deep state about implementing the agenda that the American people voted for.”

DOJ To Argue Biden Admin’s Case Against Eric Adams Was ‘Politically Motivated’

Biden Administration

Donald Trump

Manhattan

New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul suggested this week that she may remove New York City Democratic Mayor Eric Adams from office due to the &#8220;alleged conduct&#8221; that has occurred at City Hall in recent weeks.
Hochul&#8217;s statement comes after four top officials resigned from Adams&#8217; administration — Deputy Mayors Maria Torres-Springer, Anne Williams-Isom, Meera Joshi, and Chauncey Parker — because of recent developments.
Critics have <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jamie-raskin-justice-department-eric-adams-face-the-nation/">accused</a> Adams and the Trump administration of corruption after the new administration dropped federal bribery charges against Adams, alleging a deal in exchange for Adams complying with federal immigration authorities.
&#8220;I recognize the immense responsibility I hold as governor and the constitutional powers granted to this office,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;In the 235 years of New York State history, these powers have never been utilized to remove a duly-elected mayor; overturning the will of the voters is a serious step that should not be taken lightly. That said, the alleged conduct at City Hall that has been reported over the past two weeks is troubling and cannot be ignored.&#8221;
Hochul said that she was meeting with key leaders at her office in Manhattan on Tuesday to discuss &#8220;the path forward, with the goal of ensuring stability for the City of New York.&#8221;
&#8220;Let me be clear: my most urgent concern is the well-being of my 8.3 million constituents who live in New York City,&#8221; she concluded. &#8220;I will be monitoring this situation extraordinarily closely to ensure that New Yorkers are not being shortchanged by the current crisis in City government.&#8221;
Adams was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nyc-democrat-mayor-eric-adams-charged-with-bribery-fraud-acting-as-foreign-agent">indicted</a> in September on one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Federal Program Bribery, and to Receive Campaign Contributions By Foreign Nationals; one count of Wire Fraud; one count of Bribery, and two counts of Solicitation of a Contribution by a Foreign National.
Prosecutors had alleged that Adams began soliciting and accepting improper benefits as a public official dating back to 2014, including luxury international travel from wealthy foreign businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official seeking to gain influence over him.
Adams “not only accepted, but sought illegal campaign contributions to his 2021 mayoral campaign, as well as other things of value, from foreign nationals,” the indictment said.
Prosecutors said those who had illegally donated to Adams’ campaign sought to cash in on their investment and were rewarded with “favorable treatment.”
Adams “sought and accepted illegal campaign contributions in the form of ‘nominee’ or ‘straw’ contributions, meaning that the true contributors conveyed their money through nominal donors, who falsely certified they were contributing their own money,” <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/new-york-city-mayor-eric-adams-charged-bribery-and-campaign-finance-offenses#_ftn1">the indictment</a> said.
He allegedly compounded his corrupt gains by using them to defraud the city and steal from public funds.
“New York City has a matching funds program that matches small-dollar contributions from individual City residents with up to eight times their amount in public funds, to give New Yorkers a greater voice in elections,” the indictment said. “Adam’s campaigns applied for matching funds based on known straw donations, fraudulently obtaining as much as $2,000 in public funds for each illegal contribution.”
Adams sought and received improper benefits from some of the foreigners illegally funding his campaign, court documents alleged, including paying for numerous luxury travel benefits that totaled $100,000.
The mayor “and others working at his direction, repeatedly took steps to shield his solicitation and acceptance of these benefits from public scrutiny,” the indictment said. “Adams did not disclose the travel benefits he had obtained in annual financial disclosures he was required to file as a New York City employee. Sometimes, Adams agreed to pay a nominal fee to create the appearance of having paid for travel that was in fact heavily discounted. Other times, Adams created and instructed others to create fake paper trails, falsely suggesting that he had paid.”
According to the indictment, one of the Turkish officials who gave to Adams told him in September 2021 that it was his turn to repay the illegal donations he received by “pressuring the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) to facilitate the opening of a new Turkish consular building – a 36-story skyscraper – without a fire inspection, in time for a high-profile visit by Turkey’s president.”
“At the time, the building would have failed an FDNY inspection,” the indictment said. “In exchange for free travel and other travel-related bribes in 2021 and 2022 arranged by the Turkish Official, Adams did as instructed. Because of Adams’s pressure on the FDNY, the FDNY official responsible for the FDNY’s assessment of the skyscraper’s fire safety was told that he would lose his job if he failed to acquiesce, and, after ADAMS intervened, the skyscraper opened as requested by the Turkish Official.”
If convicted on all charges, Adams faced up to 45 years in prison.

Kathy Hochul Suggests She Might Remove Eric Adams From Office

Border Czar Tom Homan pushed back over the weekend against suggestions that there was a corrupt deal between President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Eric Adams that led to Adams allowing local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officials in removing illegal aliens from the city.
Homan made the remarks during a Sunday interview with CNN&#8217;s Dana Bash on &#8220;State of the Union&#8221; when asked if federal corruption charges against Adams were dropped in-exchange for Adams&#8217; compliance with executing Trump&#8217;s immigration agenda.
&#8220;No, I think that&#8217;s ridiculous,&#8221; Homan responded. &#8220;Me and Mayor Adams met a couple months ago. I think it was probably eight, nine weeks ago we met. And we had the same discussion. And we talked about getting a presence in Rikers Island. We talked about how we can collaborate on public safety threats and finding the missing children that were &#8212; that can be found after they release the sponsors.&#8221;
&#8220;We had that a couple months ago, long before this other discussion,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;So I don&#8217;t think it had anything to do with it. Matter of fact, the meeting went very well. It was the same meeting we had a few weeks ago. The reason we had the follow-up meeting because there was no action being done.&#8221;
Homan pushed back against claims that he was unsatisfied with the previous meeting that he&#8217;d had with Adams.
&#8220;No, I didn&#8217;t come out of that meeting unsatisfied,&#8221; he said. &#8220;After several weeks, I was taken back that we hadn&#8217;t gotten the action yet about getting to Rikers Island.&#8221;
&#8220;So we rescheduled the meeting to talk about, OK, well, we talked about how — what things we need to put in place how we can make this happen,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;And that&#8217;s what the meeting Thursday was about. And we came out Thursday with a plan in how we can get in Rikers Island in the Criminal Intelligence Division, so we can understand who&#8217;s in there, who&#8217;s foreign-born in Rikers Island that&#8217;s a significant public safety threat.&#8221;
&#8220;We also talked about how we can collaborate on the missing children, many of them are going to be in New York City,&#8221; he added. &#8220;And that&#8217;s what we talked about. I really don&#8217;t think it had anything to do with whatever&#8217;s going on in Justice Department. We never talked about that. It&#8217;s kind of out of my lane.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
&#8220;No, I think that&#8217;s ridiculous&#8230; I don&#8217;t think it had anything to do with it.&#8221;
White House border czar Tom Homan denies allegations of a quid pro quo between New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the Trump administration, after Adams agreed to give ICE access to Rikers Island… <a href="https://t.co/tXMvcymLwg">pic.twitter.com/tXMvcymLwg</a>
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSOTU/status/1891164150811738205?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2025</a></blockquote>

Tom Homan

‘That’s Ridiculous’: Tom Homan Blasts CNN For Suggesting Corrupt Deal Between Trump, Eric Adams

New York City Democratic Mayor Eric Adams joined &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; in-studio on Friday morning alongside Trump border czar Tom Homan after a corruption case against him was dropped by the Department of Justice earlier this week.
During the segment, Adams addressed collaborating with the Trump administration&#8217;s mass deportation project and the DOJ&#8217;s decision to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-orders-charges-to-be-dismissed-against-nyc-mayor-eric-adams-on-certain-conditions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drop federal charges</a> against him, blasting accusations that the move was in exchange for his cooperation on arrests and deportations of illegal immigrants in New York City. Adams was indicted last September on bribery charges and pleaded not guilty to federal bribery charges, which included accepting overseas travel paid for by wealthy Turkish nationals.
The mayor argued that any allegation of a quid quo pro with the Trump DOJ is &#8220;silly,&#8221; adding that he has been calling for more immigration enforcement in NYC since 2022 — before the bribery charges were brought against him by the Biden DOJ and then dropped by the Trump DOJ.
On Friday, Homan vowed to ensure Adams makes good on his commitment to President Trump&#8217;s immigration policies: &#8220;If he doesn&#8217;t come through, I&#8217;ll be back in New York City, and we won&#8217;t be sitting on the couch &#8211; I&#8217;ll be in his office, up his butt, saying, &#8216;Where the hell is the agreement we came to?'&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;We are fighting together to get it done. &quot; 
Border Czar Tom Homan and NYC Mayor Eric Adams join FOX &amp; Friends together to discuss how they found common ground, and plan to address New York City&#39;s migrant crisis. <a href="https://t.co/O5tNklYwjm">pic.twitter.com/O5tNklYwjm</a>
&mdash; FOX &amp; Friends (@foxandfriends) <a href="https://twitter.com/foxandfriends/status/1890421993100451980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Democrats and public officials in New York, including Rep. Alexandria <a href="https://x.com/AOC/status/1839020346957246939" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ocasio-Cortez</a>, have called on Adams to resign or be removed after the bribery charges were dropped. New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has the power to remove Adams from office, said in an interview with MSNBC on Thursday night that the &#8220;allegations are extremely concerning and serious,” adding, &#8220;But I cannot, as the governor of this state, have a kneejerk, politically motivated reaction.&#8221;
&#8220;This is unbelievably unprecedented for the Department of Justice in Washington to interfere in this way,&#8221; Hochul told MSNBC host Rachel Maddow.
&#8220;The [Pam] Bondi administration in that Department of Justice is already showing that they&#8217;re corrupt,&#8221; Hochul added.
Danielle R. Sassoon, the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-doj-officials-resign-rather-than-dismiss-adams-bribery-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resigned</a> Thursday after refusing the DOJ&#8217;s order to drop the case against Adams.
“The Justice Department will not tolerate the insubordination and apparent misconduct reflected in the approach that you and your office have taken in this matter,” said Acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove. “Your office’s insubordination is little more than a preference to avoid a duty that you regard as unpleasant and politically inconvenient.”
In his &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; appearance with Homan, Adams said that he had urged the city council to revise current sanctuary city laws to allow for more cooperation between local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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“What I asked the City Council to do is change the bill that was already in place and modify it … if you are committing a crime, then we should be able to collaborate with ICE — even on civil enforcement if you have committed a crime,” the mayor said.
While agreeing with the Trump administration on arresting and removing violent illegal immigrants, Adams still advocated for sanctuary city laws to protect and provide for non-violent illegal immigrants.
“Everyday people who are here, they’re moving to be documented, if they are going to school, working, paying taxes, then they should be able to provide police services, hospital services, children should go to school,&#8221; Adams said.
Homan disagreed, arguing, &#8220;I’m strictly against sanctuary city status because I think sanctuaries are for criminals.&#8221;
&#8220;But the beauty here is that we&#8217;re allowed to disagree,&#8221; Adams replied. &#8220;But we do agree on the fundamental that no matter who you are, it should be safe.&#8221;

Eric Adams Teams Up With Tom Homan After DOJ Drops Corruption Case

Immigration

The interim U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York resigned Thursday after the Justice Department ordered the corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams to be dropped.
Danielle R. Sassoon, the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/top-federal-prosecutor-ny-resigns-told-drop-adams-charges-rcna192030" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resigned</a> after an order from newly installed Justice Department officials to abandon the case, according to a report by NBC News.
Three days earlier, Acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove ordered federal prosecutors to drop the case against Adams, partly because of how it interfered with Mayor Eric Adams’ stated focus on “illegal immigration and violent crime” in collaboration with the Trump administration.
Sassoon and other prosecutors initially refused to drop the case out of principle, pushing Bove to blast Sassoon and other non-compliant federal prosecutors for their “insubordination.” Sassoon and two other federal prosecutors involved resigned shortly after.
“The Justice Department will not tolerate the insubordination and apparent misconduct reflected in the approach that you and your office have taken in this matter.&#8221; Bove said. &#8220;Your office’s insubordination is little more than a preference to avoid a duty that you regard as unpleasant and politically inconvenient.&#8221;
Adams, a former New York police captain, was indicted last September on charges of allegedly accepting $100,000 worth of bribes, including overseas travel paid for by wealthy Turkish nationals. The mayor, who has pleaded not guilty, has described the charges as politically motivated.
Sassoon’s exit follows her tenure as a prosecutor known for taking on significant financial fraud defendants, most prominently the entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried. While she has not publicly spoken about her decision to resign, the AP obtained an email she sent to her colleagues that confirms the Adams case as the cause of her resignation.
It remains unclear who will helm the Southern District going forward. The office is often referred to as the “Sovereign District of New York” for its reputation of operating with considerable independence when investigating public officials and other high-level targets. Traditionally, its prosecutors are known for pushing back against interference, though resignations at this scale are considered highly unusual.
Although the Justice Department’s new leadership cited concerns about policy goals possibly being hampered by prolonged litigation, there has been no indication of how or if the government will proceed with the charge.

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