New York, NY—Today, NYC Mayor Eric Adams stated: "I'm an American. Americans have certain rights. The Constitution is for Americans, and I'm not a person that snuck into this country... What rights I have, the person that decides to shoot the police officer, they should not have those same rights.” However, everyone residing in the United States regardless of their immigration status has specific inalienable rights under the Constitution, including the right to due process, the right to legal counsel, the right to education, and the right against unreasonable search and seizure.
Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition:
“Mayor Adams is wrong. He is ripping a page from Trump’s playbook, stoking fear and spreading disinformation. We should be able to expect that the Mayor of New York City has a basic understanding of the Constitutional rights of the people he serves. Rather than scheming with dangerous people like incoming ‘border czar’ Tom Homan about how to attack and marginalize immigrant New Yorkers, the Mayor should be working to unite and protect our City from Trump’s extremist deportation plans. Simply for his own self interest, you would think Mayor Adams would be the biggest proponent of due process. He should apologize for his patently inaccurate statement, and make clear exactly how he will ensure every New Yorker maintains their Constitutional rights.”