Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday declined to weigh in on the controversial arrest of a Bronx high school student by federal immigration authorities, saying the matter is out of his jurisdiction.
During his weekly press conference on May 27, Adams addressed the case of a public-school student—identified only as 20-year-old Dylan in a Chalkbeat New York report—who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a court hearing last week. The mayor emphasized that the incident did not occur in a school building and involved no coordination with city agencies.
“People should really understand that this was not in a school building,” Adams said. “We don’t know what was the outcome of the court case. You show up to hearings for a reason, something happens during those hearings, we’re not responsible for them, we’re not in charge of them. So, I think that that’s a question that should be referred to federal authorities.”
According to Chalkbeat, Dylan—a Venezuelan national who attends a high school that caters to older immigrants—was legally in the United States while awaiting a decision on his asylum claim through a program created under the Biden administration. He worked part time as a delivery driver to help his mother and two younger siblings in the Bronx money make ends meet.
He attended the court hearing alone and, without legal representation, inadvertently gave up protections that had shielded him from detention.
ICE agents arrested him at the hearing, making Dylan the first known New York City public school student detained under President Trump’s second term, which has seen an aggressive crackdown on undocumented immigrants regardless of criminal history.
Adams said his administration did not play a role in the arrest and reaffirmed that city agencies follow sanctuary laws prohibiting cooperation with ICE on civil immigration matters.
“I’m limited on what coordination I can do,” the mayor added. “And sometimes that’s a blessing and it’s a curse.”
Still, the arrest has sparked backlash among educators and local leaders who say the city has a responsibility to protect its students—particularly those from immigrant communities.
UFT president: ‘Our students need to be protected’
Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), issued a sharply worded statement on Tuesday criticizing how Dylan’s case was handled.
“Our students need to be protected,” Mulgrew said. “In this case, it appears that a Bronx high school student was taken advantage of and stripped of his legal rights during a court hearing. In New York City, at least, justice and fairness are supposed to be for all, not just the chosen few. Together with immigration and legal advocates, we will fight for justice.”
Gibson calls for accountability
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson also condemned the arrest, describing it as an “injustice.”
“Dylan did everything right. He enrolled in school in our borough and got his license to obtain a delivery job to take care of his younger siblings,” Gibson said in a statement. “It is outrageous and horrible to learn he was detained by federal authorities last week during a court appearance. This is unacceptable and nothing short of an injustice.”
Gibson called for a full investigation and said the city must do more to protect immigrant families from being “unfairly targeted and exploited.”
No evidence of ICE action in schools, says Adams
Adams pushed back against concerns that the arrest might discourage undocumented students from attending public schools or seeking city services. He said ICE has not conducted raids in schools, churches, hospitals, or other public spaces in recent years.
“It didn’t happen in school. I’m telling children to go to school,” he said. “We have not had ICE raids in our schools. We have not had ICE raids in our churches. We have not had ICE raids in our hospitals. We have not had ICE raids at places of business. Everywhere I tell people to go, I’m living up to what I shared with them.”
However, immigrant advocates have questioned the Adams administration’s commitment to sanctuary policies, pointing to the mayor’s executive order permitting ICE to operate offices on Rikers Island for criminal investigations—an order currently under legal review.
While Adams maintains the city won’t cooperate with ICE on civil matters, critics argue the lines are blurring under his leadership—raising fears that vulnerable New Yorkers like Dylan will continue to fall through the cracks.
