Robert Holden pushes Eric Adams to reopen Rikers ICE office after tough talk on ending NYC sanctuary status

Too little too late.A frustrated city lawmaker on Wednesday called to reopen a long-shuttered federal immigration outpost at Rikers Island, while slamming the mayor for his flip on the city’s “sanctuary city” status. “Tough talk is good, but actions speak louder,” Queens Councilman Robert Holden said in a statement.“The mayor had the chance to amend or repeal sanctuary city laws through his Charter Revision Commission but chose not to.

Now, it’s time to right these wrongs.“To truly show commitment to public safety, Mayor Adams should reopen the ICE office at Rikers Island and give the NYPD, [Department of Corrections], [Department of Probation] the ability to communicate with ICE and honor detainers for criminal migrants,” Holden said.

Holden’s call comes after Adams waffled on his long-standing support for the city’s sanctuary city status, which includes a vow not to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.Beleaguered by the migrant crisis overwhelming the five boroughs, Adams this week said he’s game if the feds want to deport immigrants who commit crimes in the city — and vowed to sit down with President-elect Donald Trump’s unbending border czar, Tom Homan.

“My position is people who commit crimes in our city, you have abdicated your right to be in our city and I am open to figure out the best way to address that,” he said Tuesday.“Those who are here committing crimes, robberies shooting at police officers, raping innocent people, have been a harm to our country.”Adams did suggest loosening the sanctuary city restrictions for asylum seeking criminals in February, but had previously touted the migrant-friendly designation.Holden said he and other council members’ calls for a reversal of the policy have nonetheless fallen on deaf ears, including in a July 19 letter to City Hall in which Holden complained that “supporting sanctuary city laws means protecting criminals and terrorists.“The safety and security of o...