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Mayor Mamdani assembles ICE response team following President Trump's threats to NYC
By
Arya Sundaram
Published Feb 10, 2026
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By
Arya Sundaram
Published Feb 10, 2026
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, girding for a potential local surge in immigration enforcement, has created an interagency group to plan for and quickly respond to such “crises.”
Mamdani called for the creation of the “Interagency Response Committee,” which includes the city’s chief immigration officer, in his first major executive order on immigration.
A City Hall spokesperson and two people briefed on the initiative said the panel is intended to help plan for an immigration crackdown akin to the ongoing initiatives seen in cities like Minneapolis and Los Angeles, as well as other potential incursions by the federal government in the five boroughs.
The order says the committee will be chaired by First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan and include Ramzi Kassem, the city's chief counsel, and Bitta Mostofi, a special adviser to Fuleihan who previously served as the city’s chief immigration officer under former Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Other appointments, including senior operations managers from all city agencies, will be made by the end of the week, according to the order. It cites the “aggressive tactics that non-local law enforcement agencies use in pursuing civil immigration enforcement actions, commonly without a judicial warrant," which it said "hinder public safety by creating a culture of fear … deterring New Yorkers from accessing City Services and participating” in civic life.
Mostofi said the committee could help respond to policy changes, regulatory proposals or other federal efforts that may have potentially negative impacts on New Yorkers. The city’s response may include advocacy efforts or implementing new policies, among other possible responses, she said.
“There’s just been this radical shift at the federal level in what is perceived as acceptable enforcement operations, which we have seen across the country violate people’s rights [and] certainly push the bounds of what we believe to be good for New York and good for New Yorkers,” Mostofi said in an interview with Gothamist.
"Our job is to effectively prepare and also to support New Yorkers and to make any necessary adjustments as needed to make sure we’re protecting as many people as possible," she added. "This is about engendering broad trust with the city government and the ability to protect everybody.”
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin decried the executive order, claiming Mamdani was helping criminals by reaffirming the city’s sanctuary laws, which generally limit local cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, unless an individual has been convicted of a serious or violent crime.
“ICE law enforcement wouldn’t have to be in the field in New York City if we had state and local cooperation,” McLaughlin said in a statement. “Mayor Mamdani is not letting that happen, which puts New Yorkers in danger. Mayor Mamdani would make New Yorkers less safe as a direct result of this policy.”
The creation of the interagency group follows threats from the Trump administration to "flood the zone" with ICE officers in New York City. The city's sanctuary protections for immigrants remain a continuing source of scorn and frustration among Trump administration officials who contend the protections are unlawful.
President Donald Trump has also vowed to withhold funding from so-called sanctuary cities and states — a move that federal courts have repeatedly blocked, arguing the federal government cannot compel state and local governments to aid in immigration enforcement.
Mamdani’s order requires several public-facing agencies — including those overseeing police, jails, shelters, health and child welfare — to conduct audits of their sanctuary policies, which generally restrict city workers from enforcing federal immigration laws. It also bans ICE and other "non-city" law enforcement agencies from using city-owned garages and vacant lots.
“These policies strengthen New York City’s robust laws that protect our communities from overreach by the federal government and will help keep all New Yorkers safe,” Make the Road New York Deputy Director Natalia Aristizabal said in a statement. “The mayor’s swift action reflects the urgency of this moment.”
The directive follows reporting by Gothamist and others that uncovered potential violations of the city's sanctuary law by city workers. In December, Gothamist found city shelter workers potentially violated the law on at least two occasions last year by allowing federal immigration officers to enter city shelters without presenting a judicial warrant, as is required by the city’s sanctuary laws.
The Associated Press and local news outlet The City also uncovered cases that raised questions about the NYPD’s adherence to the city’s sanctuary laws, including incidents of police sharing information about past arrestees with federal officers and transferring immigrants into federal custody. The city Department of Investigation later determined the incidents did not directly violate the city’s sanctuary laws, but recommended internal policy changes nonetheless.
DOI also published a report in December outlining one instance where an NYPD officer violated local sanctuary laws by setting up a system where he would be notified if people sought by federal immigration authorities interacted with the NYPD.
Local news outlet Hell Gate also recently brought to light a contract between the Hudson River Park Trust and ICE that allows the federal immigration agency to park cars at the garage on Pier 40, which is owned by New York state. The trust said it does not plan to renew the contract later this year.
Tagged
Politics
Race And Justice Unit
Zohran Mamdani
donald trump
immigration
new york city
public safety
Arya Sundaram
Arya is a reporter covering race and justice. Got a tip? Email: [email protected] or reach Arya on Signal at 512-650-8767.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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