NYC Dems running for mayor spar over how to fight Trump’s immigration crackdown

Democratic mayoral candidates sparred over whether to defund the police during the New York City mayoral debate Wednesday night, with many candidates distancing themselves from the once-popular progressive position.

Candidates also discussed how to best combat President Donald Trump, particularly when it comes to his illegal immigration crackdown.

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, the current frontrunner in the mayoral race, said: “We have to admit what we did wrong. The people on the stage, almost without exception, were all defund the police … and now they’re calling for more police. We wouldn’t need more police if we didn’t defund them in the first place.”

After saying this, several other candidates quickly turned the tables on Cuomo, accusing him of also leading the charge on defunding the police, something the former governor adamantly denied.

“I used the words defund the police, I said I don’t support defund the police,” said Cuomo.

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While some candidates said they actually support increasing the police presence in New York City, others suggested increasing “mental health outreach workers” on the streets and subway trains.

Progressive New York state Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani suggested, “We are going to put together dedicated teams of mental health outreach workers who will be deployed to the top hundred subway stations with the highest levels of mental health crisis and homelessness.”

Whitney Tilson, a hedge fund manager, blamed positions such as Mamdani’s as being responsible for Trump’s rise in popularity among New York City voters.

“I do think we Democrats have to stop giving Trump gifts,” said Tilson. “When we let ourselves be defined by our far left, by socialists, with their ‘defund the police’ nonsense and open borders, et cetera.”

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A protester is seen smashing the windows of a police car during the protest against the police assault of Tyre Nichols at Times Square in New York, United States on January 27, 2023.  (Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

“One area that I do agree with Trump is, is that when, a socialist like Zohran on here tweets that the NYPD is quote, ‘wicked,’ and calls to defund and dismantle the NYPD, that that is madness,” he said, adding: “That is costing us elections since Trump has doubled his share of the New York City vote in the last three elections, from 17% to 30%.”

“We’ve got to move away from the far left, the socialism is sinking our party and our city,” said Tilson.

Candidates also discussed how to address the rise in crime and shoplifting in New York City and addressed whether bail reforms passed by the state under Cuomo are responsible for the spike.

Michael Blake, a former Obama aide, suggested a “guaranteed” median income could be the solution to rising shoplifting.

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A homeless person lies on the sidewalk in New York on Dec. 27, 2024 (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu)

“If we help New Yorkers make and keep more money in their pocket in the first place, then we wouldn’t have people speaking about shoplifting. That’s why we need the local median income. That’s why we have to have guaranteed income. That’s why I have to help people on the front end. So, we’re not talking about them being on the back,” said Blake.

Regarding Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, candidates largely doubled down on New York City’s sanctuary city status and on further limiting local police’s ability to cooperate with ICE.

Current New York City Mayor Eric Adams was widely lambasted for being willing to cooperate with the Trump administration and ICE when it comes to immigration enforcement. 

Asked whether she would tip off migrants about federal immigration enforcement operations in New York City, current city council speaker Adrienne Adams asserted that if elected, “my mission is and will be to protect the immigrants.”

Adams said, “I will absolutely use my bully pulpit to warn, as I’m doing as city council speaker pretty much on a daily basis.”

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An ICE agent monitors hundreds of asylum seekers being processed upon entering the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building on June 6, 2023 in New York City. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller, meanwhile, said he would build a network in the city government that would enforce New York’s sanctuary laws and “absolutely warn people before they walk into ICE.”

Zellnor Myrie, a state senator, claimed that sanctuary laws “used to not be political” and “not only would I be warning but I would be assuring them that we have their back right now.”

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Jessica Ramos, a Democratic New York state senator, said she would use city tax resources to combat Trump’s immigration crackdown, saying, “We have absolutely have to keep ICE … out of any public institution” and “I want to make sure that in a town with so many lawyers, our immigrants have lawyers.”  

“This is not the first time he’s brought ICE to New York. He’s done that before and we fought him and we won,” said Cuomo.

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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on March 31, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“So, he can be beaten. But he has to know that he’s up against an adversary who can actually beat him. And I can tell you this, I am the last person on this stage that Mr. Trump wants to see as mayor,” he went on. “And that’s why I should be the first choice that for the people of this city to have as mayor.”

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Eric Adams is running for re-election as an independent and thus did not participate in the debate.