New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday, February 6, issued an executive order tightening restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations on city property, positioning the move as both a policy intervention and a moral statement rooted in faith-based ethics.
The order, Executive Order 13, requires ICE agents to obtain judicial warrants before entering city-run schools, hospitals, shelters, and other municipal facilities. It also directs city agencies to strengthen protections for immigrant data and to roll out multilingual public awareness campaigns informing residents of their rights.
Mamdani announces measure at multi-faith breakfast
Zohran Mamdani announced the measure at a multi-faith breakfast in New York, where he framed the policy through teachings drawn from multiple religious traditions.
He referenced the Torah’s injunction to love the stranger, Quranic principles that emphasise compassion for persecuted migrants, and ethical guidance from Hinduism and Buddhism, presenting the executive order as an inclusive response grounded in shared moral values.
Mamdani invokes Prophet Muhammad
Referencing Islam in particular, Mamdani described it as “a religion built upon a narrative of migration,” invoking the Hijra—the Prophet Muhammad’s flight from Mecca to Medina—as a foundational moment.
He noted that the Prophet was himself a stranger who was offered refuge, and cited Quranic verse Sura An-Nahl 16:42, which speaks of divine blessing for those who migrate after persecution.
His administration argues that the order is designed to ensure that all residents, regardless of immigration status, feel safe accessing essential city services without fear of federal enforcement action.
Order’s mandate to city departments
Beyond restricting ICE access, the order mandates that city departments strictly adhere to existing local laws governing cooperation with immigration authorities.
It also calls for internal audits of agency policies related to immigration enforcement and establishes an Interagency Response Committee to coordinate citywide action during major immigration-related crises.
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