According to an internal memorandum from the New York City Police Department (NYPD), police officers can assist federal law enforcement in apprehending “criminal offenders,” but they are not authorized to take action to deport individuals because they fall under “civil” cases of “illegal entry.”
As revealed by a document obtained by the New York Post dated January 18, the NYPD in New York City has drawn a clear line – they prohibit aiding federal agencies in the removal of undocumented immigrants because “residing in the U.S. without proper authorization is a civil matter, not a criminal offense,” although individuals in this situation “may face detention or deportation under federal civil immigration laws.”
Therefore, the New York City police are prohibited from assisting in civil immigration enforcement in any way.
President Trump has vowed to deport millions of illegal immigrants. The first target of the deportation actions of Tom Homan, the head of border affairs, is Chicago, followed by New York. Federal immigration officials are permitted, upon Trump’s orders, to arrest undocumented immigrants in places such as churches or schools.
However, New York’s “sanctuary city” laws prohibit arrests in these “sensitive locations,” requiring authorities to obtain a warrant before entering such places.
City officials in New York are preparing for Trump’s large-scale deportation operation. The New York City Department of Education has sent out emails to every public school principal, instructing them to contact lawyers, the NYPD, and school security in emergency situations, and federal law enforcement officers are not to be allowed entry until then.
Currently, there are approximately 400,000 undocumented immigrants in New York City. ◇