Press Room

"The Trump administration’s slashing of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians is about doing as much harm as possible, as quickly as possible, for anyone they can marginalize and erase. 

"My office worked with the previous administration to secure extended protections for Haiti and a number of other countries where there is immediate danger for residents, and this cruel reversal is disastrous, if expected. Alarmingly, I’m sure there will be more. The federal government seems dedicated to making as many Black and Brown people as possible eligible for deportation, regardless of status, by revoking legal protections.

"The truth is that Donald Trump is trying to make our own country one where immigrants, Black and Brown communities, LGBTQ communities, and all marginalized groups are in immediate danger. 

"In the face of the threat he poses, I draw inspiration from the Haitian motto of ‘L'union fait la force.’ In unity, there is strength. Today, we must stand united with our Haitian family, as we did yesterday with Venezuelans and will tomorrow with another group, building a coalition of compassion to protect one another from the worst harm that Donald Trump, his allies, and his enablers, aim to inflict."  

"The urgency of this mayor-made crisis mandates everyone with tools at their disposal – the governor, other elected leaders, voters – use them to meet this moment. My office is reviewing the details, feasibility, and potential impact of this announcement.

"Proposing laws to constrain a specific person underscores the harm of having that person in office as mayor. Before attempting to create new structures and precedents, though, I hope the governor will fully consider all current contingencies, including the upcoming decision from Judge Ho. And I hope that the mayor will fully consider the damage to New York that he would cause through a reduction in the city’s autonomy, as he contemplates his own future.

"No one can deny the need for action at this point, and the fact that the governor feels the need to step in once again speaks to the gravity of the moment and the validity of concerns about this mayor. Any initiatives undertaken to correct the mayoral crisis of leadership must balance the need to protect the city in this moment, without creating unintended harm beyond it."

"The Trump administration is attempting to undo a program that was approved, implemented, and by all early results, is working to benefit our city. That’s not how laws work, and I want New Yorkers to know that as of now, the system is still in place.

"This amateurish attempt to defund our city’s public transit, pollute our air, and stall our progress must be clearly condemned and combated by all responsible leaders. Unfortunately, Mayor Adams is preoccupied this afternoon, put in the undeniably untenable position of fighting more to save himself than our city."

Date: 2/13/2025

To: NYC Commissioners and Agency Heads

From: New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams 

Subject: Serving the City in the Mayor's Absence

When the mayor’s office is vacant, it is my responsibility as Public Advocate to temporarily step in. The charter is less clear when a mayor has seemed to abandoned much of his duty, but not his position – so it’s up to each of you, to all of us, to steward the city in that absence.

Given the directive for the mayor’s case being dropped without prejudice, he is entirely beholden to the favor of the president and his agenda. But the city simply cannot be.

It is even more important now that we don’t stand down, but stand up, stand behind the New Yorkers we serve. These are tough times, and I know you are in very difficult positions. Yet the past consequences of the mayor's dereliction of duty should help us see the need to carry on the good work of governing for the people, not the person. I and many others are there to support you in service on behalf of the public.

I know that there are many initiatives and ideologies at play in agencies across the city that we may disagree on – we did last week, and we will tomorrow. But right now, it is incumbent on all of us to show that even with a mayor unable to impartially lead in this moment, city services will continue and we will keep working to meet the needs of all New Yorkers – including our newest residents and those who have long been struggling.

In service,

Jumaane D. Williams

Public Advocate for the City of New York

"The mayor is simply lying to New Yorkers – the good news is, he’s never given them a reason to believe him before, so I hope they don’t start now. 

"He is still entitled to prove his innocence, but that is not what happened here. The Department of Justice did not drop this case because they believe the mayor to be innocent, they explicitly stated that this decision is not based on a review of evidence. Nor is it gone forever – the request is to dismiss without prejudice, with the ability to bring the case back in the future. Dropping this case is purely a political favor to a man who can now be leveraged and threatened, a practice that should concern all Americans. 

"The mayor is trying to sell misinformation to a city he’s already decided to sell out. This is not in fact over, it’s just being held over his head. He refuses to even address the conduct that led to the indictment in the first place, or how he could hope to govern while under Donald Trump’s thumb. We don’t have a mayor who cares enough to be honest about his case or his inability to lead – the truth is, we barely have a mayor at all. 

"I would call for the mayor to resign, but that would mean him putting the interests of the city first. At this point it is beyond clear that he can't or doesn't care enough to, and that should anger every New Yorker."

"According to the Department of Justice's recent directive, Mayor Adams adopted a strategy of selling out marginalized New Yorkers and our city’s values to avoid personal and legal accountability. Well, it worked. I hope it was worth it.

"The mayor has always had the presumption of innocence – something he has rarely extended to the New Yorkers he’s detained on Rikers pre-trial, or wanted deported based on accusations. He said he wanted his day in court, but instead sidestepped that system using the privilege and power that so few people have access to. This is obscene and obvious – the White House doesn’t want to lose their deputy in New York City. 

"It seems clear that the person we’ve had in City Hall the last several months is the real Eric Adams, and New Yorkers shouldn’t forget that. He owes New Yorkers what he has refused to demonstrate to date: honesty, transparency, humility, and some assurance that he can make up for his many bad decisions that got us here. But he knows what we all know – the person he really owes, a fealty that should anger and worry us all, is Donald Trump, and the worst of his policies."