NYC Judge Rules ICE Office Plan on Rikers Illegal Amid Corruption Claims

A Manhattan judge has invalidated Mayor Eric Adams' executive order allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to reopen an office at Rikers Island, ruling it illegal due to an impermissible conflict of interest. The judge highlighted the timing, noting that Adams announced the order shortly after President Trump's Department of Justice dismissed the mayor's federal corruption case, suggesting a quid pro quo. The ruling, which sided with the City Council's lawsuit, stated that Adams failed to recuse himself and improperly delegated the matter to his deputy, Randy Mastro, who issued the order. This legal decision blocks federal immigration agents from operating within the jail complex, undermining efforts by the Trump administration and Adams to enhance immigration enforcement in New York City. The city plans to appeal the ruling, continuing the contentious debate over immigration policy and local-federal cooperation. The case underscores the ethical and legal challenges facing Adams amid his controversial alliance with the Trump administration on immigration enforcement.