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Mayor Eric Adams wants to "bring down anxiety" in NYC's immigrant community amid deportation fears

Mayor Eric Adams addresses deportation concerns in NYC's immigrant community
Mayor Eric Adams addresses deportation concerns in NYC's immigrant community 03:36

NEW YORKThe Trump administration's new immigration policies have immigrants in New York City scared and worried, but when it comes to deportation, city laws prohibit the New York City Police Department and other city agencies from cooperating with federal agents.

Mayor Eric Adams wants the city's immigrant community to know that New York is a sanctuary city.

"We want to bring down the anxiety. We want our immigrants to know that this is a city of immigrants, this is a country of immigrants. It's imperative that you go to school, use the hospital services, use the police services," he said.

He said when it comes to dealing with criminal behavior, the city will cooperate with federal partners.

"Those who commit violent crimes in our city have violated their right to be in our city and in our country, and we are going to continue to collaborate with ICE around criminality," Adams said.

Will there be deportation raids in NYC?

The city's sanctuary laws are complicated. The police do cooperate with federal agents to apprehend people who commit certain crimes, including murder and rape, but there is absolutely no cooperating with deportation, which is a civil procedure.

City agencies have been told that, and on Saturday, the NYPD sent out an operations order saying cooperating with the feds for deportation is a no-go. It states "...members of service are not permitted to engage in civil immigration enforcement, assist in any manner with civil immigration enforcement, or allow any Department resources to be used in connection with civil immigration enforcement."

Border czar Tom Homan initially said deportation raids would start in Chicago.

As of now, there's no indication of imminent raids in New York City. Sources tell CBS News New York political reporter Marcia Kramer the hope is that city officials would get advanced notice of any action because of the relationship Adams has forged with the president and Homan.

There is also another concern – the president outlawing birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants. There are questions about the constitutionality of that move. New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of officials in 18 states and the city of San Francisco have filed suit in Massachusetts. They say the executive order signed by the president violates the 14th Amendment. 

Immigrants in NYC scared about new Trump administration policies

Immigrants in the city are still scared, however.

"My mom, she's not a citizen, she's a permanent resident, and again, she's scared. She doesn't know what could happen," said Long Island resident Brian Perez.

"As an attorney, I think there's definitely a lot of community fear. I am getting called by my clients daily, hourly since the election, essentially asking what's going to happen," attorney Julia Miller said.

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