Don’t expect more recusals on sanctuary city issues from Mayor Eric Adams

Mayor Eric Adams took just half a page to tell Comptroller Brad Lander what he didn’t want to hear: The mayor won’t commit to recusing himself from sanctuary city-related decision-making in City Hall.

Last month, Adams recused himself from signing an executive order to allow the city to reopen an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office at Rikers Island – he delegated that job to First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro – to avoid the appearance of a quid pro quo. (Despite the former acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York stating that his lawyers offered collaboration on immigration enforcement in exchange for having his corruption case dismissed, Adams has repeatedly denied a quid pro quo with the Trump administration.)

In an April 29 letter, weeks after Adams’ case was dismissed on a request by the Trump Department of Justice, Lander called on the mayor to recuse himself from other sanctuary city-related issues. “A dedicated public servant – not an individual with a personal conflict of interest – should be making such decisions based on the facts and the law,” Lander wrote, as the Trump administration targets jurisdictions like New York City that limit local coordination with federal immigration authorities. Lander suggested the corporation counsel. Adams’ corruption case was dropped with prejudice, meaning it can’t be brought back by the Trump Justice Department.

In a May 8 letter to Lander’s office newly shared with City & State, Adams denied Lander’s suggestions that he is beholden to anyone but the people of New York City, and listed several examples of the city filing or joining lawsuits against the federal government. Adams sidestepped Lander’s request for recusal, writing, “In partnership with the Corporation Counsel, my administration will continue to fight for New Yorkers every day–strategically and forcefully.”