Bloomberg Changes Course on Inmate Deportations

The Bloomberg administration reversed its course on a policy that allowed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deport illegal immigrants detained on Rikers Island.

The city’s Department of Correction routinely cooperates with the ICE to deport 3,000 to 4,000 immigrants on an annual basis, despite a citywide “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on immigration. A bill proposed by City Council Speaker Christine Quinn would limit the city’s cooperation with the federal authority to cases where an inmate has been charged by the prosecutor’s office or has outstanding warrants, prior convictions, or deportation orders.

Over 50 percent of those deported through cooperation with ICE have no prior criminal record, while 20 percent were charged with minor crimes, according to Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito.

“Our goal is always to protect public safety and maintain national security, while ensuring New York remains the most immigrant-friendly city in the nation,” John Feinblatt, the mayor’s chief policy adviser told The New York Times. “This strikes the right balance.”