NEW YORK CITY — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday signed a sweeping executive order aimed at bolstering the city’s sanctuary protections for immigrants and limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement authorities. The announcement came during the mayor’s first annual Interfaith Breakfast at the New York Public Library, where he framed the action as both a moral and legal reaffirmation of New York City’s longstanding sanctuary status.
The executive order, which builds on existing local policy, includes several key provisions:
Judicial Warrant Requirement: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents — and other federal immigration authorities — cannot enter city-owned property such as schools, shelters, hospitals, parking garages, and other public spaces without a warrant signed by a judge.
Enhanced Privacy Protections: City agencies must safeguard personal data and may not share information with federal immigration authorities except as required by law.
Agency Policy Review: All core agencies — including NYPD, Department of Social Services, and others — are directed to review their interactions with immigration authorities and ensure they comply with shelter and sanctuary law protections.
Interagency Committee & Training: A new task force will coordinate city responses in the event of significant immigration enforcement actions, and agencies must train staff on sanctuary policy limits.
Mamdani accompanied the order with a citywide “Know Your Rights” campaign, distributing tens of thousands of multilingual materials to faith leaders and community organizations to educate residents about their legal rights during encounters with immigration agents.
Speaking to a room of clergy and allies, Mamdani said the order is about protecting dignity, due process, and trust, not engaging in partisan politics. “Let us create a new expectation of City Hall, where power is wielded to love, to embrace and to protect,” he said.
Supporters — including immigrant advocacy groups — praised the measure as a practical step toward ensuring families aren’t deterred from accessing schools, healthcare, and shelter services out of fear of immigration enforcement. Critics, however, argue the executive order largely reaffirms protections already in place under existing sanctuary laws and may lead to legal conflicts with federal authorities.
As debate unfolds over federal and city authority on immigration enforcement, Mamdani’s executive order represents a high-profile reaffirmation of New York City’s commitment to sanctuary principles.
