Thursday, March 5, 2026, 10 a.m. (New York City time), Council Chambers - City Hall
Committee: Committee on Oversight and Investigations
The Committee on Oversight and Investigations, jointly with the Committee on Criminal Justice, held an oversight hearing on the Department of Investigation's (DOI) 2025 reports examining the NYPD's and Department of Correction's (DOC) compliance with New York City sanctuary laws. DOI Acting Commissioner Christopher Ryan testified that the investigations found a DOC investigator and an NYPD officer impermissibly assisted federal civil immigration enforcement, that both agencies lacked adequate training and dissemination of protocols, and that DOI issued seven recommendations to each agency; the NYPD accepted all of them, while DOC accepted some and partially accepted others, notably the department-wide audit. DOC Deputy Commissioner James Conroy testified about DOC's policies, notification practices, training rollout, and partial acceptance of the audit recommendation, citing practicality concerns. Council members from both parties questioned the witnesses, including on the statutory warrant requirements, unmonitored communications, the Rikers fusion center, and joint federal task forces. Advocates and legal services providers testified about harm to clients, courthouse arrests, and data-sharing concerns, and called for stronger enforcement of sanctuary laws.
0:09 Mmm I good morning. Good
0:09 morning. Welcome to the New
0:10 York City Council hearing on
0:11 the committee on oversight
0:13 investigations joint with
0:14 criminal justice at this time,
0:16 please. Sounds all electronics
0:17 and do not approach the dais.
0:20 I repeat, please do not
0:21 approach a days if you are
0:22 testifying today having fit
0:23 all of or have any other
0:25 questions or concerns, please
0:26 contact the sergeant at arms.
0:27 Thank you for your cooperation
0:28 chair. He begin to goo
0:35 dmorning, everyone. This
0:35 hearing is called to order and
0:36 thank you all so much for
0:39 joining today my name is
0:40 shaker Krishnan. I'm the chair
0:41 of the committee on oversight
0:43 and investigations first and
0:45 foremost. I would like t
0:46 othank speaker Julie Menin
0:48 entrusting me with chairing
0:49 this crucial committee and m
0:50 ycolleagues for serving on this
0:51 committee and joining us today
0:55 . I'd like to thank my co
0:55 chair for today's hearing
0:57 council members Selvena brook
0:58 spowers, who is the chair of
0:59 the committee on criminal
1:00 justice and additionally,
1:01 thank you to the
1:03 representatives from the
1:04 problem? An the department of
1:06 corrections, the members of
1:07 the public, the advocacy group
1:09 legal services lawyers who are
1:10 here on on my colleagues who
1:11 have joined us today joining
1:14 us from the council, my
1:15 colleagues are Council Member
1:18 song Council Member David car
1:20 r, Frank Morano, counsel for
1:22 dot we've also been joined by
1:24 our public advocate germany
1:25 will and former council membe
1:27 r
1:28 . Monty Williams and
1:29 councilman cab has joined u
1:30 sonline as well
1:34 . This hearing comes for us at
1:35 a perilous moment in our
1:37 country right now,
1:37 and right here in New York
1:40 City, donald trump and the
1:41 federal government are testing
1:43 over and over again in an
1:45 egregious way the limits of
1:46 our City sanctuary laws. They
1:49 have tried all different
1:50 tactics from tom home in
1:51 appearing on fox and friends
1:52 with former Mayor Eric adams,
1:55 promising to be quote in his
1:56 office quote up his butt. If
1:57 adams didn't deliver on his
1:59 promise to let ice agents
2:00 operate in rikers island t
2:03 oraids on canal street for the
2:05 horrifying conditions of 26
2:07 federal plaza and the incident
2:07 just last week, where a
2:11 columbia university student
2:12 was taken from our dorm after
2:15 five agents entered under
2:17 false pretenses and no warrant
2:21 . In addition, we have seen
2:21 over and over again from
2:23 communities across our City,
2:25 the raids and enforcement
2:26 actions from ice spreading
2:28 fear and trorer in our
2:30 neighborhoods. These.
2:31 Are all actions of a federal
2:34 administration trying in every
2:35 way possible at any cost t
2:38 oerode our sanctuary
2:41 protections every single story
2:43 of escalating force has been
2:44 an attempt by the federal
2:46 government to undermine our
2:47 laws and to cause fear in our
2:51 communities
2:51 . Our sanctuary laws protect
2:53 immigrant New yorkers they
2:54 helped them feel safe coming
2:56 to City government for
2:58 services from healthcare to
2:59 help with housing to care for
3:01 their children. It's for that
3:03 reason that City agencies
3:04 should be working for us
3:07 focusing on the needs of our
3:10 City delivering for New
3:11 yorkers needs and keeping us
3:15 safe and they should not be
3:16 taking on federal immigration
3:19 responsibilities
3:20 . Collaborating with ice and
3:22 increasing the fear that we
3:22 all feel every day when our
3:26 sanctuary laws are violated as
3:28 the atoms administration did
3:30 and try to do repeatedly they
3:33 leave immigrant New yorkers
3:37 terrified, afraid to seek out
3:37 help from the very City
3:39 government that exists to
3:40 serve them and.
3:41 Let's be clear about what
3:44 our sanctuaries laws do in our
3:47 City. Our sanctuary laws are
3:48 designed to make sure that
3:50 City agencies do not assist
3:52 with the enforcement of
3:53 federal immigration laws, City
3:57 agencies are prohibited from
3:59 using City resources t
4:01 ocooperate with federal
4:03 immigration authorities,
4:04 and law enforcement agencies
4:06 like nypd and the department
4:09 of probation are prohibited
4:10 from complying with detainer
4:12 requests from ice except when
4:14 there are limited number of
4:16 public safety circumstances
4:20 ,but we are a City government
4:21 frick, it focused on carrying
4:24 out the City responsibilities
4:25 and keeping New yorkers safe
4:27 ,that is distinct and apart
4:29 from the purpose of federal of
4:30 the federal government.
4:33 And immigration enforcement
4:34 by the federal government if
4:37 New yorkers feel like their
4:38 City agencies are aligned with
4:40 donald trump's mass
4:42 deportation campaign if.
4:42 New yorkers feel like our
4:44 government is simply an
4:45 extension of the federal
4:46 government when it comes t
4:50 oimmigration enforcement, New
4:51 yorkers and especially
4:51 immigrants, will not trust our
4:53 government and they will not
4:55 accept help from emergency
4:57 services, for example, I have.
4:58 Seen this in my district
5:02 alone, where residents
5:02 displaced from their homes
5:03 were too scared to speak with
5:05 government offices or City
5:07 agencies that were ready t
5:08 ohelp
5:09 . Them. We're New yorkers were
5:11 too scared to leave their
5:13 homes take their children to
5:15 school a 10 parades for lunar
5:16 New year or breakfast in l
5:19 will fast. Sorry in there must
5:21 jeans during ramadan because
5:22 they be harassed or taken by
5:25 ice. These are very, very real
5:29 fears and they are playing out
5:31 every single day in our City
5:32 and it is unacceptable.
5:36 Today's hearing is about
5:37 reaffirming that our City
5:39 agencies should be working for
5:41 New yorkers not for ice
5:44 . This hearing builds on the
5:45 work of prior counsel, speaker
5:47 adrian atoms and council Gale
5:49 Brewer and.
5:49 To them. I am grateful today
5:53 we will be examining the
5:55 department of investigations
5:56 reports on agency compliance
5:57 with New York City sanctuary
5:59 City laws and holding agencies
6:01 that have collaborated with
6:03 ice accountable for violate
6:04 when they have violated those
6:07 laws, the report found deeply
6:10 concerning instances of
6:14 impermissibly collaborating
6:15 with ice enforcement
6:18 . Corrections officers as the
6:20 report found violated the
6:21 city's sanctuary laws through
6:23 information sharing with
6:24 sin custody. In fact, this
6:31 collaboration went so deep
6:34 between that one individual
6:36 who's information was shared
6:36 and who was apprehended by ice
6:38 was featured on a white house
6:41 exposed post where they
6:42 bragged about quote making
6:44 america safe again. Quote with
6:49 his deportation. This report
6:50 from finds that corrections
6:52 officials had unwittingly
6:53 breached the law because they
6:54 also have not been properly
6:56 trained on when and how to
6:58 share information with federal
7:02 authorities, another report
7:02 found that nypd had violated
7:05 New York City sanctuary laws
7:06 and at the nypd does not fully
7:10 comply. Quote with
7:11 documentation and reporting
7:12 requirements, end quote
7:13 regarding interactions with
7:14 federal law enforcement
7:17 . The report made seven
7:18 recommendations as to how do
7:21 and nypd could improve its
7:22 compliance with the city's
7:25 sanctuary loss accepted all of
7:27 those recommendations, do you
7:28 see, however, accepted some,
7:30 but not others. It is time
7:34 under a New mayoral
7:36 administration that we correct
7:37 the dangerous course charted
7:39 under Eric adams, a former
7:40 Mayor when it came to the
7:41 treatment of immigrants in
7:44 this City a crucial part of
7:45 breaking from that past.
7:46 Is to make sure the
7:47 egregious actions of the
7:49 recent past the violations of
7:51 City sanctuary laws or the
7:52 close calls never happen again
7:56 . I know that this
7:57 administration under Mayor mom
7:58 shares this vision.
7:59 As does his newly appointed
8:02 corporation counsel steve
8:03 Banks so at today's hearing
8:06 our committees will question
8:07 deal I its findings.
8:09 The status of the agencies
8:15 implementations of nypd and
8:16 are complying with legal
8:20 demanded documentation
8:21 upholding reporting
8:21 requirements and properly
8:22 training officers on.
8:23 How to handle interactions
8:25 with immigration authorities.
8:28 Our committees will also
8:29 questioned about the steps it
8:31 is taking to comply with the
8:32 city's local laws to train its
8:34 officers on relevant legal
8:36 requirements and to correct
8:38 the violations of the past. We
8:40 need to.
8:40 Know what the agencies are
8:43 doing.
8:44 Today we will learn two
8:46 things. One is New York City
8:48 prepared on paper and in
8:50 practice to defend to the
8:52 fullest extent of the law, our
8:55 sanctuary laws against the
8:56 lawless federal administration
9:00 and dr. Are our agencies
9:02 prepared on paper and in
9:04 practice to protect immigrant
9:08 New yorkers, we must be ready
9:09 to meet this moment. We must
9:11 correct the serious
9:12 transgressions of the prior
9:14 administration and.
9:14 Make sure they never happen
9:18 again. And above all, we must
9:19 defend our rights and protect
9:21 immigrants in our City, so
9:22 they feel safe.
9:26 Before I conclude I would
9:26 like to thank the following
9:28 counsel staff for their work
9:29 on this hearing from our oh,
9:31 and I committee staff nicole
9:33 tata, erica cohen, alexi
9:34 blonde and orange kotowski
9:37 from the division staff, meg
9:38 Powers, Kevin frick, zachary
9:40 Mayor issayas brian park phone
9:42 and janek curse and from my
9:45 staff, chanel martinez hunter
9:47 given a great victoria
9:50 opperman and to everyone who
9:50 is working in the background
9:51 to make this hearing run run
9:54 smoothly.
9:55 And I know New counts
9:56 members are joined yet, but
9:57 I'll make sure recognize them
9:58 when they do, I will now turn
10:00 it over to my co chair counsel
10:02 of our Brooks Powers for her
10:03 opening statement. Thank you
10:08 .thank you and good morning. I
10:10 am counsel member sylvia
10:12 Brooks Powers, chair of the
10:13 committee on criminal justice.
10:15 I want to thank chair Krishnan
10:17 co chair in today's joint
10:21 oversight hearing on the
10:21 department of investigations
10:23 report on agency compliance
10:25 with sanctuary related look
10:26 laws and thank everyone for
10:30 being here.
10:30 I I know that our colleagues
10:31 have already been acknowledged
10:34 so New York City has enacted a
10:36 series of sanctuary related
10:37 look laws over over the past
10:39 decades with established clear
10:41 boundaries on how City
10:43 agencies interact with federal
10:47 immigration enforcement. These
10:47 laws were adopted to protect
10:50 civil liberties ensure that
10:51 City resources are used
10:53 appropriately.
10:54 And maintain trust between
10:55 government institutions in the
10:57 communities we represent the
11:00 reports issued by the New York
11:01 City department of
11:02 investigation review how
11:04 agencies, including the New
11:05 York City department police
11:07 department and the New York
11:09 City department of corrections
11:11 have implemented and complied
11:12 with these local laws in
11:17 practice, the findings
11:17 highlight areas where policies
11:19 were followed but also we're
11:21 gaps in training, oversight
11:22 and reporting have created
11:25 risks of improper corporation
11:27 with the federal immigration.
11:29 Authorities. Today's hearing
11:30 is an opportunity for the
11:31 count. It's a better the scope
11:33 of the department of
11:35 investigations work, including
11:36 the methods used to identif
11:40 yincidence and the measures
11:41 taken to ensure that City
11:43 agencies fully comply with the
11:44 law going forward.
11:47 We will also be examining
11:48 the policies under the
11:49 department of correction
11:51 regarding sanctuary
11:52 protections and their
11:53 compliance under the law
11:56 . Oversight is a core
11:57 responsibility of this council
11:58 and it is important that we
12:00 examine not only individual
12:07 incidents.
12:07 But also the systems and
12:08 safeguards in place to prevent
12:11 future violations, we will be
12:12 asking the department of
12:14 investigation about how these
12:17 investigations were conducted
12:18 whether additional reviews be
12:20 necessary and how agencies
12:21 like the department of
12:23 corrections are implementing
12:24 the recommendations out lied
12:25 outlined in the reports
12:28 . We will also hear from
12:30 agency representatives and
12:30 advocates to understand how
12:33 policies, training and
12:34 internal controls can be
12:35 strengthened to ensure
12:37 consistent compliance across
12:40 departments.
12:41 This hearing is not only
12:41 about reviewing past incidents
12:43 , it is about ensuring clarity
12:44 and how our sanctuary laws are
12:48 interpreted and applied
12:49 improving coordination between
12:52 agencies and reinforcing
12:54 accountability. When are
12:58 violated. I would like t
12:58 othank my staff and committee
12:59 staff for their hard work,
13:01 chad benjamin, policy analyst
13:03 jeremy whiteman, senior
13:04 coselun to the committee.
13:10 Casey life key financial
13:11 analyst julian martin, my
13:12 deputy chief of staff and
13:13 renee tail in my chief of
13:15 staff, I think everyone who is
13:16 joining us today and look
13:17 forward to a thoughtful and
13:19 constructive discussion about
13:20 how we can strengthen
13:23 compliance with sanctuary
13:24 related local laws.
13:25 Institutions. Thank you ant in
13:30 di'll return it back to chair
13:33 christiane
13:33 . Thank you so much jeff
13:34 Brooks Powers and now we are
13:35 going to hear an opening
13:36 statement from our public
13:39 advocate germany. Williams.
13:41 Thank you. Chair name money
13:43 Williams propaganda opposite
13:44 of New York. I want to.
13:45 Thank, uh, check Krishnan
13:46 and Brooks Powers and the
13:47 members of the committee for
13:48 holding this important hearing
13:51 , New York City is home to
13:51 more than 3 million immigrant
13:53 sand this is diversity of
13:55 tapestry of people that makes
13:56 our City so special that
13:59 doesn't include most of who
14:00 are you born from people who
14:02 more from immigrant parents
14:05 ,that number is even higher if
14:06 you go to grandparents, even
14:08 high and more than that
14:09 immigrants are our friends and