Latest news with #KnowYourRights'
Borneo Post
10 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Domestic violence cases in Sarawak up nearly 20 pct in 2024
(From fifth left) Riziandy, Rosey, Tan and the speakers of the forum posing for a group photo after presenting appreciation certificates to them. – Photo by Aileen Yap KUCHING (Aug 19): Domestic violence cases in Sarawak rose from 465 in 2023 to 552 in 2024, an increase of almost 20 per cent, according to Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah. She stressed that domestic violence affects both women and men, and called for a united response across society. 'Violence can happen to anyone – regardless of gender, age, income, or background. 'It is not only physical; emotional manipulation, financial control and long-term psychological harm are equally damaging,' Fatimah said. Her speech text was delivered by her deputy, Rosey Yunus, who represented her in officiating at the closing ceremony of the two-day Breaking the Silence: Violence Prevention in Sarawak forum at a hotel here today. Fatimah said statistics showed that in 2023, there were 178 male victims and 287 female victims, while in 2024, the numbers rose to 181 male victims and 371 female victims. Kuching recorded the highest number of cases, rising from 162 to 190, while Miri saw a drop from 131 to 110. She highlighted that the Sarawak government has implemented several initiatives to tackle the issue, including the 'Know Your Rights' community outreach programme, the 'Pocket Talk' webinar series, and the establishment of One Stop Crisis Centres (OSCCs) in hospitals statewide to provide medical, police and psychological support. Additional support comes from Jabatan Bantuan Guaman Sarawak, which provides legal aid and protection orders, and the Welfare Department, which offers temporary shelters and assistance with court proceedings. However, Fatimah emphasised that addressing domestic violence requires a whole-of-society approach, involving government, NGOs, community leaders, corporations, and the public. 'We must break the culture of silence. 'Society must no longer treat 'minding others' business' as gossip, but as an act of helping. 'If we hear cries or signs of distress, we must not stay silent,' she said. The forum, organised by the Sarawak Social Development Council (MPS) with support from government agencies and NGOs, brought together community leaders, civil society groups, and stakeholders to formulate recommendations for a holistic action plan. Fatimah closed her address by reaffirming the state's commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all Sarawakians. 'As a state that upholds the principle of no one left behind, we must build a Sarawak where every citizen lives free from violence, respected, and safe,' she said. Also present were KPWK permanent secretary Datu Felicia Tan and MPS executive secretary Riziandy Nawawi. domestic violence Fatimah Abdullah Rosey Yunus
Politico
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Mayor pushes back against ICE threat
Good Wednesday morning, Illinois. We're reflecting on Juneteenth: The progress made — and the work ahead. Programming note: We're taking Thursday off, but will be back in your inbox Friday. TOP TALKER ICY MESSAGE: Mayor Brandon Johnson is criticizing the Trump administration's threat to bring its aggressive deportation efforts to Chicago, saying the city will rely on the court system, education and the Constitution to stand its ground. 'Whether it's in the courts, whether it's in the streets [or] with policy, we're going to continue to defend and stand for working people,' the mayor told reporters on Tuesday. His comments followed a story in Rolling Stone magazine, saying, 'Chicago is next.' Back by popular demand: The 'Know Your Rights' education campaign is also being restarted to educate immigrants about how to respond to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who might knock on their doors. The campaign has drawn the ire of Trump border czar Tom Homan. The mayor added that the city must 'go as far as necessary to protect our Constitution and our Democracy.' In an interview with the Tribune, ICE's Chicago field office director defended agents and the ramped up enforcement, by Nell Salzman and Laura Rodríguez Presa Congressmen Krishnamoorthi, Jackson denied tour of South Loop immigration check-in facility, by ABC 7's Rob Hughes RELATED Brotherly love: The City of Chicago is getting some support in a lawsuit it filed last month against the Department of Homeland Security and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, calling for the agency to stop the freeze of federal funds that help to pay for security in urban areas. The cities of Boston, Denver, San Francisco and Seattle have joined in the complaint that calls for DHS to stop 'its reckless freeze of funding' under the Securing the Cities counterterrorism program. The federal program is mandated by Congress and 'provides high-risk urban areas with critical resources to prevent nuclear and other terrorist threats,' according to the filing. Cities use the funding for security purposes. Chicago is due for $1 million, according to a statement from City Hall. 'DHS's reckless freeze undermines our preparedness and puts lives at risk. We will not stand idly by while the federal government disregards its legal obligations and jeopardizes public safety,' Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement. The filing is here. Timeline: DHS, which didn't immediately return a request for comment, has been awarding Chicago money for counterterrorism efforts and equipment since 2015, when the city was deemed a 'high risk' area for terrorist attacks. THE BUZZ FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi is out with a new poll in the competitive Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate that shows he holds a double-digit lead over his closest opponent, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, with Congresswoman Robin Kelly in third. The survey, which comes nine months ahead of the March 17 primary, has Krishnamoorthi with 32 percent support, compared to Stratton's 19 percent and Kelly's 14 percent, according to the polling memo reviewed by Playbook. The memo also reveals Krishnamoorthi has gained ground since an April survey. Putting it in perspective: Undecided voters account for 31 percent of those polled — a lot, but lower than the 38 percent undecided in April, an indication that voters are starting to pay a little bit of attention to the race. The polling memo doesn't offer details on how the questions were posed, but it does say Krishnamoorthi 'leads Stratton among voters who have participated in the last three Democratic primary elections.' The survey was conducted by GBAO, a Democratic polling firm, which interviewed 1,200 likely voters in the March 2026 primary. It was conducted by live dialers via telephone and through text-to-web responses from June 5 to 10 and has a plus or minus 2.8 percent margin of error. WHERE'S JB No official public events WHERE's BRANDON At City Hall to preside over the City Council meeting Where's Toni At the Cook County Building to celebrate the 160th anniversary of Juneteenth Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a (gasp!) complaint? Email skapos@ SPOTLIGHT — At least three Illinois lawmakers named in Minnesota murder suspect's notes: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, who represents areas that include Chicago's west and northwest suburbs; Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski, who represents the St. Louis' Metro East region, and state Sen. Laura Fine, of Glenview, all said they were among those named, according to WGN 9. The Associated Press has reported, based on unnamed law enforcement sources, that the suspect in the murders of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, also included the names of abortion rights advocates and health care facilities. State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, an outspoken advocate for abortion rights in Illinois, did not say whether her name appeared in the notes, but offered a statement: 'Without speaking specifically to the events of this week, in my experience it is important to maintain confidentiality and follow all guidance from law enforcement to avoid impeding any investigation in a situation like this. Anything else potentially puts people at risk.' RELATED: U.S. lawmakers consider what they'd sacrifice for safety, by POLITICO's Katherine Tully-McManus and Nicholas Wu COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS — Cook County preparing for $211M budget deficit for 2026 — the 'most problematic' yet, says Toni Preckwinkle: 'Among the biggest long-term potential threats: how Congress ultimately decides the fate of Medicaid, which has helped prop up the finances of Cook County Health; and various federal grants President Donald Trump targeted with an avalanche of executive orders,' by the Tribune's A.D. Quig. — Mount Prospect chief meeting with legislators amid license-plate reader controversy: The topic: 'how out-of-state agencies gained access to automated license-plate reader data, including cameras in Mount Prospect,' by the Daily Herald's Steve Zalusky. — Detective from Naperville competes on new Fox reality TV show, by the Naperville Sun's Tess Kenny DAY IN COURT — Vernon Hills toy company challenges Trump's tariffs before Supreme Court: 'The company argues the president illegally imposed tariffs under an emergency powers law rather than getting approval from Congress,' by The Associated Press' Lindsay Whitehurst. — Ex-Loretto Hospital exec stole $300M through Covid testing scams, prosecutors say, by the Block Club's Kelly Bauer THE STATEWIDES — Inside Illinois' efforts to court the emerging quantum technology industry: 'Representatives of other countries, federal research labs and a network of private organizations with ties to the state are beginning to ink deals and make agreements to bring specific quantum companies to Illinois — and boost the startups that are already here,' by Capitol News' Andrew Adams. — Nuclear power gains traction in Illinois and other statehouses, by POLITICO E&E's Jeffrey Tomich — House Dems' transit point man, Rep. Kam Buckner, says special session is possible, by Crain's John Pletz — Illinois Supreme Court Commission urges attorneys to confront workplace bullying, by Law360's Andrea Keckley — Progressive scorecard: Citizen Action/Illinois has released its annual scorecard highlighting where Illinois lawmakers stand on a range of progressive issues. — ILLINOIS LEGISLATIVE VETO SESSION: It's scheduled for Oct 14 through 16 and 28 through 30. CHICAGO — 'Snap' curfew ordinance could come to a vote in Chicago City Council: 'But just who asked for a key provision — which would give police the ability to call a curfew within 30 minutes — is unclear,' by WBEZ's Mariah Woelfel. — SMOKE OUT: Watch for Ald. Bill Conway to be joined by public-health advocates today calling for more enforcement of the Chicago Transit Authority's ban on smoking. The goal: 'to increase ridership and comfort on the city's public transit system,' according to his team. — City's public pools to open 7 days a week for the first time since Covid-19 closings, by the Sun-Times' Brett Chase and Lauren FitzPatrick — OPINION: Rev. Otis Moss III of Chicago reflects on 5 years after George Floyd, via The Hill TAKING NAMES — SUSANNA's NEW GIG: Susanna Wickham has been named president and CEO of THE Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago. Wickham is a notable Chicago name in nonprofit and media circles. She most recently was CEO of PAWS Chicago. Before that, she held top editorial and publishing roles, including as editor-in-chief and publisher of Chicago magazine. And some will remember her early journalism career at the Sun-Times, where she wrote the popular 'Susanna's Night Out' nightlife column. Reader Digest We asked what issue you expect to drive the 2026 campaigns? Mike Gascoigne: 'MAGA issues, whether they support issues in a MAGA, close-minded way, or the antithesis of it.' Donna Gutman: 'Medicaid/Medicare preservation.' Lucas Hawley: 'The need for generational change in leadership here in Illinois on all levels.' Charles Keller: 'It will be less about substantive issues and more about feelings and candidates hating Donald Trump.' Michael Stokke: 'The economy.' Timothy Thomas: 'Economics. Borrowing from President Ronald Reagan, It will come down to 'are you better off than you were four years ago?'' NEXT QUESTION: What three things must every summer picnic have? THE NATIONAL TAKE — Hospitals stunned by Senate GOP's Medicaid plan, via POLITICO — Alex Padilla: 'Not shocked in the least bit' about Brad Lander's arrest, by POLITICO's Melanie Mason — Senate passes landmark crypto bill in historic bipartisan vote, by POLITICO's Jasper Goodman — Trump won't call 'whacked out' Walz after Minnesota shooter charged, by POLITICO's Cheyanne M. Daniels — Trump wants 'real end' to Iran-Israel conflict, by POLITICO's Adam Cancryn and Felicia Schwartz EVENTS — Tonight: Former Secretary of State Jesse White and singer Josephine Beavers are hosting a program about the cultural impact of Black musicians through the Musicians' Enduring Legacy Organization. Details here — Thursday: The Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress wraps up with a Juneteenth event focusing on environmental justice and equity in Black communities. Details here. — June 26, NEW DATE: Mariyana Spyropoulos, the clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court, headlines the City Club luncheon. Details here — July 12: The Chicago City Council Progressive Caucus is holding a summer social. Details here — Aug. 14: Former Congresswoman Cori Bush headlines an Ida B. Wells Legacy Committee's fundraiser discussing 'the state of progressive politics.' Details here TRIVIA TUESDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Milin Rajan for correctly answering that U.S. Ambassador to Germany William Dodd, who lived in Chicago's Hyde Park and was the subject of Erik Larson's 'In the Garden of Beasts,' warned President Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration of rising fascism and Hitler's growing threat to humanity. TODAY's QUESTION: What was the name of the union formed this week in 1893 by Eugene Debs? Email skapos@ HAPPY BIRTHDAY Today: State Rep. Aaron Ortiz, former Ald. Solomon Gutstein, LITE Strategies CEO Litesa Wallace, TV news producer Lisa Barron, political commentator Bruce DuMont, Bear Icebox Communications President Bob Spoerl, Axion Analytical Laboratories' Antigone Polite and journalist and former Better Government Association President Andy Shaw Thursday: Equality Illinois Director of Civic Engagement José 'Che-Che' Wilson, P2 Consulting President Katie Craig, GreatPoint Ventures Managing Partner Andrew Perlman and businesswoman Nina Mariano -30-
Chicago Tribune
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
After reports that Chicago is ‘next' in Trump's militarized crackdown, mayor warns president to respect Constitution
Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday condemned the latest threats from Republican President Donald Trump to target Chicago with federal troops, warning that such a move would be swiftly challenged in the courts amid an ongoing wave of pro-immigrant demonstrations. Johnson derided the reported comments from a senior Trump official who vowed that 'Chicago is next, if they go too far.' The mayor said he does not believe the federal government has that power. It was the mayor's latest response to ongoing signs from the White House that it is considering targeting Chicago with a military response after mobilizing the National Guard in Los Angeles. 'It's just another sort of example of his animus towards working people,' Johnson told reporters at a City Hall news conference. 'I think it's important that the President respects the Constitution. If you're asking me if this president is going to work with city leaders, it's clear that he's not interested in doing that.' Johnson, a progressive first-term mayor, has been among the Trump administration's highest profile domestic targets over the last several months. The most explosive point of contention has been Chicago's sanctuary policy for immigrants, mirroring similar laws in other blue cities and states that the president's team continues to blame as an obstacle in his bid to enact the largest deportation operation in American history. The mayor noted the federal government was not expected to give the city advance notice if it indeed deploys troops in Chicago. He did not elaborate on what the city's plans would be, beyond announcing the CTA's plans to disseminate resources from its 'Know Your Rights' immigration campaign across more than 400 digital displays and highlighting that much of this next fight would be via legal challenges. 'There's a great deal of resistance in this city around a host of things with the Trump administration. … Whether it's in the courts or whether it's in the streets or it's with public policy, we're going to continue to defend and stand up for working people,' Johnson said. 'As far as what this administration has been allowed to get away with, we have put forth lawsuits, which we've seen some success there.' Johnson's Corporation Counsel, Mary Richardson-Lowry, added 'we think it is a violation of the Constitution to deploy troops or National Guard, absent authority under the Constitution' that is reserved by the governor, not the federal government. Richardson-Lowry also addressed reporting from the Tribune last week that the city did comply with one subpoena from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE has subpoenaed two city departments: the clerk over its municipal ID program CityKey, and Streets and Sanitation over employment eligibility forms. The city provided some documents in the latter summons, a spokesperson for Johnson's Law Department said on Friday. On Tuesday, Richardson-Lowry stressed that none of those records contained personal information. 'There was another administrative warrant category for Streets and San, where under federal law we had an obligation to at least provide a listing, and that information was provided without the kind of detail,' Richardson-Lowry said. The city didn't hand over any documents with the other ICE subpoena, for CityKey records, the Johnson administration has said. On Friday evening, a week after the Tribune reported that ICE subpoenaed the clerk's office for personal information of applicants to the ID program that is often used by noncitizens, the city clerk took down the online application for CityKey. During the first Trump administration, former Mayor Lori Lightfoot also rebuked threats by the federal government to deploy the military in the face of civil unrest over the police murder of George Floyd. Though there was still some federal troop presence in the city, it paled in comparison to the crackdown Trump was teasing then — and enacting in Los Angeles now, with thousands of federal National Guard and Marine troops deployed there. Conservatives have long desired use of the National Guard to quell violence in liberal-leaning cities such as Chicago, with Trump leading the rhetoric. He posted to Truth Social on Sunday, 'We must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America's largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside.' A hearing on California's lawsuit seeking to compel the Trump administration to return control of the National Guard to the state was scheduled Tuesday in a federal appeals court.
Chicago Tribune
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
After reports that Chicago is ‘next' in Trump's militarized crackdown, mayor warns Trump to respect Constitution
Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday condemned the latest threats from Republican President Donald Trump to target Chicago with federal troops, warning that such a move would be swiftly challenged in the courts amid an ongoing wave of pro-immigrant demonstrations. Johnson derided the reported comments from a senior Trump official who vowed that 'Chicago is next, if they go too far.' The mayor said he does not believe the federal government has that power. It was the mayor's latest response to ongoing signs from the White House that it is considering targeting Chicago with a military response after mobilizing the National Guard in Los Angeles. 'It's just another sort of example of his animus towards working people,' Johnson told reporters at a City Hall news conference. 'I think it's important that the President respects the Constitution. If you're asking me if this president is going to work with city leaders, it's clear that he's not interested in doing that.' Johnson, a progressive first-term mayor, has been among the Trump administration's highest profile domestic targets over the last several months. The most explosive point of contention has been Chicago's sanctuary policy for immigrants, mirroring similar laws in other blue cities and states that the president's team continues to blame as an obstacle in his bid to enact the largest deportation operation in American history. The mayor noted the federal government was not expected to give the city advance notice if it indeed deploys troops in Chicago. He did not elaborate on what the city's plans would be, beyond announcing the CTA's plans to disseminate resources from its 'Know Your Rights' immigration campaign across more than 400 digital displays and highlighting that much of this next fight would be via legal challenges. 'There's a great deal of resistance in this city around a host of things with the Trump administration. … Whether it's in the courts or whether it's in the streets or it's with public policy, we're going to continue to defend and stand up for working people,' Johnson said. 'As far as what this administration has been allowed to get away with, we have put forth lawsuits, which we've seen some success there.' Johnson's Corporation Counsel, Mary Richardson-Lowry, added 'we think it is a violation of the Constitution to deploy troops or National Guard, absent authority under the Constitution' that is reserved by the governor, not the federal government. Richardson-Lowry also addressed reporting from the Tribune last week that the city did comply with one subpoena from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE has subpoenaed two city departments: the clerk over its municipal ID program CityKey, and Streets and Sanitation over employment eligibility forms. The city provided some documents in the latter summons, a spokesperson for Johnson's Law Department said on Friday. On Tuesday, Richardson-Lowry stressed that none of those records contained personal information. 'There was another administrative warrant category for Streets and San, where under federal law we had an obligation to at least provide a listing, and that information was provided without the kind of detail,' Richardson-Lowry said. The city didn't hand over any documents with the other ICE subpoena, for CityKey records, the Johnson administration has said. On Friday evening, a week after the Tribune reported that ICE subpoenaed the clerk's office for personal information of applicants to the ID program that is often used by noncitizens, the city clerk took down the online application for CityKey. During the first Trump administration, former Mayor Lori Lightfoot also rebuked threats by the federal government to deploy the military in the face of civil unrest over the police murder of George Floyd. Though there was still some federal troop presence in the city, it paled in comparison to the crackdown Trump was teasing then — and enacting in Los Angeles now, with thousands of federal National Guard and Marine troops deployed there. Conservatives have long desired use of the National Guard to quell violence in liberal-leaning cities such as Chicago, with Trump leading the rhetoric. He posted to Truth Social on Sunday, 'We must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America's largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside.' A hearing on California's lawsuit seeking to compel the Trump administration to return control of the National Guard to the state was scheduled Tuesday in a federal appeals court.
New York Times
24-03-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Adams Uses Agency ‘Tracker' to Control Messaging on Trump
On the day after President Trump's inauguration, Mayor Eric Adams's deputy mayor for communications assembled officials from across city government to let them know that change was coming. The deputy mayor, Fabien Levy, instructed agencies to highlight their work in a positive way, but signaled that they should not criticize Mr. Trump's policies, according to three people who participated in the meeting in January. Since then, Mr. Adams and city agencies have been unusually quiet on the flurry of Trump administration actions that have raised concern among many New Yorkers. Mr. Levy created a 'federal response tracker,' a spreadsheet to log statements and social media requests from agencies so that he and the mayor's office could vet each request, according to two people familiar with the tracker. The spreadsheet has columns listing the agency, the federal issue in question, proposed language and whether it has been approved. The mayor's office has avoided discussing 'Know Your Rights' guidance on how immigrants should respond to federal immigration officials and gender-affirming health care for transgender people, according to one of the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. The tracker is consistent with Mr. Adams's stance since Mr. Trump took office. The mayor said in January that he would not publicly criticize the president and told top aides in February to also refrain from doing so over fear that such criticism could provoke Mr. Trump to withhold federal funding for the city's priorities. Many institutions have already faced threats or actions from the Trump administration that jeopardized funding; Mr. Trump canceled $400 million in federal funds for Columbia University, prompting the university to make remarkable concessions to his administration, and has threatened major cuts for the subway. But Mr. Adams may have more personal motivation. He has been accused of agreeing to a quid pro quo with the Trump administration: With the Justice Department moving to drop his five-count federal indictment, Mr. Adams would be free to help the president enforce his immigration policies. The mayor denies the corruption allegations and the assertions that he engaged in a quid pro quo. Mr. Adams has argued that adopting a more pragmatic approach to dealing with Mr. Trump is wiser than risking antagonizing him, a stance others are beginning to adopt. Lawyers for NYU Langone Health, a leading hospital system in Manhattan, proposed removing references to 'diverse students' and 'systemic racism' from the hospital's website last month to avoid funding cuts. Kayla Mamelak Altus, a spokeswoman for Mr. Adams, acknowledged that the mayor's office uses a federal tracker as part of an organizational strategy to streamline media requests for the administration's responses. But she asserted that Mr. Levy 'never said anything about not criticizing Trump' or his policies during the meeting in January and insisted that the mayor would 'continue to be the first and loudest to advocate for New Yorkers.' 'Everyday New Yorkers aren't tuning in to hear City Hall's hot takes on Washington politics,' she said in a statement. 'They want to know if their trash will be collected, if their kids will get a good education and if their neighborhood is safe.' The mayor's stance toward the Trump administration on immigration and other issues has angered many Democratic leaders in New York and led to the resignation of four deputy mayors. It has also led to friction in his administration. When the National Park Service eliminated references to transgender people from the website of the Stonewall National Monument in Manhattan last month, many Democratic officials immediately expressed their indignation; Gov. Kathy Hochul called the decision 'cruel and petty.' But Mr. Adams waited more than 24 hours before posting about its historical significance and offering general support for trans New Yorkers. The mayor's muted response was one factor that led members of the city's Commission on Gender Equity to issue an ultimatum to Mr. Adams that they would resign if he did not lay out a strategy for defending transgender New Yorkers, women and immigrants. Andrea Hagelgans, a member of the commission who was appointed by Mr. Adams and a former senior adviser to Mayor Bill de Blasio, resigned, writing in a letter that the group had raised concerns over the mayor's 'troubling actions and statements' and was 'met with silence.' Sideya Sherman, the city's chief equity officer, later responded with a five-page letter defending the mayor's record, including noting that Mr. Adams signed an executive order in 2023 to protect gender-affirming care. In January, when Mr. Trump signed an executive order seeking to prevent schools from recognizing transgender identities, city officials discussed issuing a strong statement to support transgender students or having the mayor film a video response in the Blue Room, according to emails obtained by The New York Times. Anne Williams-Isom, the deputy mayor for health and human services, signed off on some of the messaging, according to the emails, but no statement was made. 'Eric Adams has perpetuated a true bait-and-switch on New York voters,' said Christine Quinn, the former City Council speaker who runs a major homeless shelter network. 'He ran as someone who supported sanctuary cities and supported the L.G.B.T.Q. community, and now he's sold his soul to Trump and is attempting to erode New York City's sanctuary status and is abandoning the transgender community at their time of need.' Immigration has been the most fraught issue. The mayor, who once vowed that New York was going to be a 'sanctuary city plus' under his leadership, has now called for weakening the city's sanctuary laws and agreed to allow federal immigration officials at the Rikers Island jail complex. Some city officials and advocates want the mayor to do more to support the 400,000 undocumented immigrants who live in the city and are anxious about mass deportations. Instead, the mayor's social media accounts have not posted about 'Know Your Rights' information, and there have been few posts from city accounts. Other elected officials, including the City Council speaker, Adrienne Adams, and Representative Adriano Espaillat, have posted 'Know Your Rights' videos and held town hall meetings to raise awareness. The mayor's shifting tone has placed Manuel Castro, the commissioner for the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, in a difficult position. Mr. Castro, a former undocumented immigrant from Mexico, was part of a group of young immigrants, known as Dreamers, who were brought to the United States as children. When Mr. Castro testified at a recent City Council budget hearing, a council member asked him if Mr. Adams or senior officials had instructed him not to criticize Mr. Trump and his policies. He did not answer directly and signaled that his marching orders came from Mr. Levy. 'We continue to follow the instructions of our communications deputy mayor and the teams that are providing what we can and cannot share publicly,' Mr. Castro said. Ms. Mamelak Altus called the questioning of Mr. Castro 'shameful' and said that he 'continues to stand up for immigrants in New York City, regardless of who is president, and the Adams administration intends to do the same.'
