NYC Comptroller Brad Lander wants info on migrant shelter subpoenas as Mayor Eric Adams faces heat

Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News on Mar 13, 2025

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NEW YORK — Comptroller Brad Lander is demanding more information from the Adams administration about a probe aimed at migrant shelters, The New York Daily News has learned — coming as the mayor is facing increasing calls to take a tougher stand against the president’s increasingly aggressive immigration actions in the city.

The Department of Justice issued at least one criminal subpoena to a hotel seeking the names, origin and birth dates of migrants on Wednesday, sources have told the Daily News. This is reportedly part of a probe into the contracts and funding of the hotels, which the city has enlisted to house migrants.

In a letter sent to the Adams administration Thursday evening, Lander, who is running against the mayor in the June primary, demanded copies of the subpoenas, a briefing on the investigations and Mayor Eric Adams’ plan to respond.

Lander said that the request for migrants’ information may violate New York City’s local privacy laws that block city contractors and agencies from disclosing personal information, and he asked the mayor to file a motion to thwart the subpoenas if they did.

“As City leaders, we must stand up to this cruel and corrupt presidency, rather than surrender in anticipation of lawless political attacks,” Lander writes in the letter. “I urge your Administration in advance not to comply with any unlawful or unconstitutional orders from the federal government.”

The mayor faces increasing pressure to speak out against Trump as the president has ramped up attacks on immigration protections in New York with this probe and the deportation and arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University activist targeted for his pro-Palestinian advocacy.

State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, who is also running for mayor, slammed Adams at a news conference on Thursday morning.

“Right now President Trump is bullying New York City and Eric Adams is nowhere to be found,” Myrie said, referring to the subpoenas and the arrest of Khalil.

“We need a mayor in this city that is willing to stand up for New Yorkers, not someone willing to cave to a wannabe tyrant,” he continued. “Anybody that cannot stand up to Donald Trump does not deserve to sit in City Hall. Anybody that is silent at this moment does not deserve to represent our city.”

Adams has expressed an openness to working with the president on immigration and has declined to publicly criticize the administration. He’s been accused of cooperating with the administration amid their plans to drop his corruption indictment. The DOJ moved to dismiss his corruption case in February. Adams has denied the charges and allegations of any quid pro quo.

“Just like he has tried to do with every new administration, Mayor Adams wants to work with the president, not war with him, to better the lives of New Yorkers. Others can give uninformed comments and make empty promises that won’t actually help New Yorkers, but they simply cannot match the mayor’s record,” Liz Garcia, a spokesperson for the mayor, said, listing housing, childcare and medical debt achievements.

Garcia also emphasized the mayor sued the president over a $80 million federal migrant aid clawback and stated that he doesn’t support mass deportations.

She said the administration would review Lander’s letter, though also took issue that Lander wrote “other City leaders must step in to fight for the 8 million people who call this city home.”

“He’s a city leader,” she noted, “and all he’s done for over a month is send City Hall letters.”

The mayor said earlier Thursday he can’t comment on the investigation, deferring to the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office.

He told reporters that his “heart goes out to” city workers caught up as political collateral, but he didn’t mention Trump or the migrants themselves.

While no city officials have received subpoenas in this probe, the shelters are contracted by the city, which is why the comptroller is writing to the administration.