Judge Hits Pause on Mayor Adams' Rikers Island ICE Plan Amid Political Showdown

The brakes are on for Mayor Eric Adams' controversial plan to bring federal immigration agents back to Rikers Island, at least for now. New York Judge Mary Rosado issued a temporary order forcing the city to stand down on any deals with the feds about letting ICE operate in the notorious jail complex. The legal drama is set for its next act in court on April 25.

The lawsuit, filed by the Democrat-led New York City Council, accuses Adams of cozying up to the Trump administration with a so-called "quid pro quo." The claim? By letting ICE back onto Rikers soil, Adams is allegedly angling to get his own federal corruption charges tossed out. Now that's some political theater you don't see every day.

The Council isn't just worried about backroom deals. They're also fiercely protective of New York's sanctuary laws, which kicked ICE out of the city jails back in 2014. Adams' executive order would have let federal immigration authorities set up shop at Rikers, supposedly to help crack down on drugs, gangs, and organized violence inside the jail. But critics say the mayor put his own ambitions ahead of the city's values, calling the move "the poisoned fruit of Mayor Adams’s deal with the Trump Administration." Talk about a juicy accusation.

To avoid the whiff of conflict, Adams handed the ICE negotiations over to his deputy mayor, Randy Mastro, who says talks with the federal government are still ongoing. As for the mayor’s office, they’re keeping their lips zipped for now.

For those who missed the first season: ICE used to operate at Rikers, but was ousted over a decade ago as the city doubled down on its sanctuary policy. Now, whether or not the agents get a reboot depends on how this courtroom cliffhanger plays out.