Caribbean immigration advocates welcomed a significant legal victory on Friday as the Supreme Court of the State of New York issued a preliminary injunction blocking New York City Mayor Eric Adams from opening an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office at Rikers Island Correctional Facility.
This action follows a lawsuit filed by the New York City Council on April 15, seeking both a temporary restraining order (TRO) and a preliminary injunction against Mayor Adams’ Executive Order 50. The order, issued on April 8 by First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro, would have allowed ICE to operate an office at Rikers Island, facilitating the deportation of Caribbean and other immigrants.
On Friday, State Supreme Court Judge Mary Rosado granted the preliminary injunction, halting further implementation of the executive order. This decision builds on her earlier interim TRO, issued on April 21, which prohibited the execution or negotiation of any Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) related to the order.
“Justice prevailed in New York City today as Mayor Adams was blocked from launching one more attack on our immigrant neighbors,” said Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), an umbrella advocacy group representing over 200 immigrant and refugee rights organizations across New York.
Awawdeh stressed the impact of the ruling: “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 further criticized the mayor’s plan, stating, “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.”
The NYIC president also praised the City Council for its decisive response: “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.”
This court ruling represents a significant step in the ongoing debate over immigration enforcement policies in New York City, particularly concerning the Caribbean immigrant community and others vulnerable to deportation under the proposed ICE office at Rikers Island.
