NYC Democrat urges party to end 'dangerous' sanctuary policies, says officials could face criminal charges
A New York City Democrat is urging officials to repeal "sanctuary" policies that he believes violate federal law and put citizens in harm's way.
NYC Council Member Robert Holden told "Fox & Friends" co-host Brian Kilmeade on Monday that city and state officials are breaking the law by protecting illegal immigrants who may be engaged in criminal activity.
"We're like shielding [illegal immigrants]. The governors, the Democratic governors and the mayors of these sanctuary cities are shielding criminals and terrorists," he said.
Holden insisted that federal and state governments must cooperate to crack down on illegal immigration and prevent future terror plots—referencing a breakdown in communication in the early 2000s that he believes facilitated the 9/11 attacks.
"We have terrorists that have gotten across the borders. We know it, and we don't know where they are, and of course, some of them are in New York City, and that's very, very dangerous," Holden said.
Holden noted that New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who has expressed frustrations about the migrant crisis, can petition New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and call on the city council to amend sanctuary city laws.
He also called on President-elect Donald Trump to get involved and threaten Democrats with possible jail time if they violate statutes against harboring criminal non-citizens.
"[President Trump] actually could say to the governor and to the mayor, cooperate with us, or we're going to charge you with felonies," Holden said.
The New York Times reported that Manuel Castro, New York's commissioner of migrant affairs, has vowed not to follow "the instructions of the federal government in cases of mass deportations."
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Castro's statement reflects a trend by state and local officials saying they would reject Trump's immigration policies. Trump campaigned, in part, on enforcing stringent immigration laws and deporting illegal immigrants.
Trump's commitment to closing the border was cemented by his pick for "border czar," Tom Homan, who served as the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the first Trump administration.
"If you don't want to work with us, then get the hell out all the way. We're going to do it,' Homan recently said.
As a sanctuary city, New York spent $3.7 billion on housing, food, and other costs in the 2024 fiscal year alone.
Fox News' Sarah Rumpf-Whitten and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.