Bipartisan legislation proposed by a group of New York City Council members that would get rid of a number of "sanctuary city" laws currently on the books has the support of Mayor Eric Adams, the Daily Caller reported.
This marks a major shift in a heavily Democratic city that has long opposed cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The bill, proposed by members of the bipartisan Common Sense Caucus, would roll back laws enacted by former Mayor Bill de Blasio that largely forbid New York City police officers from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Staten Island Advance reported.
"I think the previous administration made a big mistake," Adams said. "I think we need to correct that aspect of it."
The mayor emphasized that "New Yorkers have a right to be safe in their city. The same way anyone breaks the law or does something violent to New Yorkers, I'm going to voice my concern about that."
The laws enacted under de Blasio prevent New York City law enforcement officials from honoring ICE detainer requests. Such a request asks the police to hold an individual in its custody longer in order for an ICE agent to arrive and make an apprehension.
This led to a significant decline in detainer requests from ICE, according to a Staten Island Advance review.
Although New York City has long been considered a "sanctuary city," Adams and other city leaders have become more open to cooperating with ICE agents as in recent years as record numbers of illegal migrants have come to the Big Apple, causing financial strain to taxpayers and leading to several high-profile crime incidents, according to the Daily Caller.
Amid the backlash over immigration policy, members of the Common Sense Caucus last month decided to make public their bill.
"We have enough criminals in this city; we don't need to import more and protect them as well," Council Member Robert Holden, a Democrat and a co-sponsor of the bill, said at the time. "Repealing the laws that have created a sanctuary city status is common sense."
Despite the backing of Adams, it is unclear how the bill will fare in a city council dominated by liberal Democrats. However, the bill's sponsor says the mayor has options.
"Despite a combative city council, [Adams] can make it happen by advocating for the Charter Revision Commission to include this proposition on this year's ballot for the people to decide," Holden told the Daily Caller.