Following Tom Homan’s declaration to ‘flood the zone’ with ICE agents in response to the shooting of an off-duty U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams addressed whether he would cooperate with the Trump administration’s crackdown. Adams expressed support for efforts to ‘go after dangerous people like this individual who shot an innocent Customs and Border Patrol agent,’ but stressed that he does not support targeting everyday individuals seeking to become citizens.
Adams, who is running for re-election as an independent, discussed the incident during a press conference, noting that he has visited the injured officer and expressed outrage over the situation. The CBP officer is currently hospitalized in stable condition. In response to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem criticizing him for the shooting due to New York City’s sanctuary laws, Adams said, ‘I have nothing to do with the rules that are put in place. I just carry out the rules.’ He also placed the blame on criminal bail reform laws passed under former Governor Andrew Cuomo, arguing that these reforms have created a ‘revolving door criminal justice system’ that allowed individuals like the shooters to return to the streets.
Meanwhile, political tensions escalated as Trump lashed out at Biden for the incident, and the issue has become a focal point in the mayoral race. Socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has remained silent on the shooting, despite it receiving national attention. Activist and Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa criticized Adams, suggesting his policies contributed to the incident, saying, ‘A violent illegal alien may have pulled the trigger, but it was Eric Adams’ reckless policies that created the conditions for it to happen.’
The shooting reportedly occurred on Saturday night in Manhattan’s Riverside Park, where two Dominican nationals, Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez and Cristian Aybar Berroa, were arrested in connection with the attack. Noem has stated that Aybar-Berroa has a criminal record in NYC and that detainers were ignored due to Adams’ sanctuary policies. The incident has reignited broader debates about border security, sanctuary cities, and the impact of policy decisions on public safety.
As the situation unfolds, Adams continues to navigate political challenges, balancing public safety concerns with his stance on immigration policies. The incident underscores the complex dynamics of immigration enforcement, local policies, and national political divisions, with significant implications for urban governance and border security strategies in the United States.