On May 22, the Mayor’s Office of New York City released an audit report showing a more than 70% year-on-year increase in the number of immigrants detained in the five boroughs of New York City. Half of the arrests took place outside the immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan. On the same day, Public Advocate Williams held a rally in Brooklyn calling for the protection of immigrants.
The “Executive Order 13 Audit Report of New York City” is the result of Executive Order 13 signed by Mayor Mamdani in February of this year, requiring an audit of policies and procedures related to interactions between city agencies and federal immigration authorities.
“New York City is a home for immigrants from all over the world, no one should have to live in fear because of their status,” Mamdani said. “This audit is a crucial step in strengthening law enforcement and enhancing New York City’s protection of immigrant communities… These findings and recommendations will ensure that we can respond to the constantly changing federal immigration enforcement landscape and protect the rights of all New York City residents, regardless of their immigration status.”
The report begins by stating, “Nearly 40% of the city’s population was born outside the United States. If immigrant children are included, this percentage exceeds 60%. This extraordinary tapestry includes teachers, doctors, business owners, sanitation workers, delivery drivers, taxi drivers, the mayor, and other public servants – they are all New Yorkers.”
With the drastic changes in federal government immigration enforcement, New York’s immigrant communities have been visibly affected. The report points out, “According to media reports, at least 15 people were arrested in a single day in 2025 during routine mandatory ICE check-ins at the ICE office on Elk St in Lower Manhattan”; “Between January 20, 2025 and March 10, 2026, ICE arrested 5,567 people in New York City, a 71% increase from the same period at the end of the previous administration; more than half of the arrests took place at the immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza; approximately 15% of the arrests were related to ICE’s Alternative to Detention (ATD) electronic monitoring program, meaning these arrests occurred when individuals compliant with supervision requirements appeared for check-ins.”
In addition to other new measures, Mayor Mamdani instructed the police department to notify leadership and legal department upon receiving any reports of immigration enforcement officers appearing in 911 emergency calls.
According to ABC TV station, on Friday morning, Public Advocate Williams held a rally at the Williamsburg Oval Recreation Center, calling for the protection of immigrants. He believes the Mayor’s policies are necessary.
“People should not feel fear in New York City,” Williams said, “but they do.”