Manny Castro, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, vows to protect immigrants regardless of the results of the upcoming election.

“No matter the outcome, no matter who is president, we will work our best to make sure immigrants are protected. To make sure they know there are laws in place that protect their information,” Castro said on Wednesday.  

Castro made the comments at a faith leader forum in Harlem, where attendees discussed the topic with Mayor Eric Adams. 

What You Need To Know

  • With the election less than a week away, the city is already preparing plans for the migrant crisis regardless of the results

  • More than 221,000 migrants have come to the city with more than 59,000 in the city’s care since the Spring of 2022, according to City Hall

  • Former President Donald Trump has vowed mass deportations if he is elected president

  • New York City is a sanctuary city that has limited communication with immigration authorities

Immigration has been a top issue with former President Donald Trump saying he plans to institute mass deportations if elected. But local officials are pushing back. 

“We have a plan in place to make sure that everyone has the correct information and does not get confused, maybe around the rhetoric or maybe the proposals that they are hearing. Our city is a city of immigrants and we are committed to helping people who are in need,” he said.  

New York City is a sanctuary city that has limited communication with immigration authorities.

The city has been at the forefront of the crisis with more than 221,000 migrants arriving and more than 59,000 in the city’s care, according to City Hall. 

“We are actively preparing with our sister agencies to make sure we have a plan in place for what happens after the election,” he said.  

Some attendees at the event on Wednesday included Congressman Adriano Espaillat. He denounced the anti-immigrant rhetoric at Trump’s Sunday rally at Madison Square Garden.

Espaillat also had this to say when asked whether other Democrats should be disavowing Trump so close to the election — something the mayor has been loath to do.

“No question about it. The world is in danger, not just America, democracy is in trouble. This man is unstable,” Espaillat said. “We should vote him down.” 

Rajkumar, the daughter of immigrants and the first South Asian-American member of the state assembly, had similar comments. 

“As Democrats we have to stand up and when people are targeted with terrible language, we have to stand up and say that’s not who we are,” she said.  

Some faith leaders at the event who have been providing food, shelter and services to migrants noted the importance of voting. 

“My sister told me that when a person tells you who they are, believe them. He told us who he is and now we have an opportunity to take him at his word and when we take him at his word, we do the responsible thing at the ballot,” Shirley Annan, minister at Bethel Gospel Assembly, said.