Zohran Mamdani promises to keep NYC a sanctuary city days after friendly meeting with Trump
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Following a surprisingly friendly meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, during a defiant speech, vowed to maintain the city's sanctuary city status.
The statement underscores Mamdani’s support for the city’s migrants despite Trump's past threats to deploy ICE in the city.
Zohran Mamdani’s promise for New York City
Mamdani made the promise while speaking at the Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church in the Bronx on Sunday, November 23.
“I’ll let the president speak for himself, but I did make very clear that our focus comes back to public safety, delivering for each and every New Yorker, and knowing that there may be disagreements between the president and myself, and there will continue to be,” he said.
“And I will always make the case for each and every person that calls this city home,” the 34-year-old stressed.
Zohran Mamdani and Trump agree on the affordability crisis
Trump once threatened to send the National Guard to New York City if Mamdani won, saying he expects “to be helping him, not hurting him.”
It is unclear how this will unfold, especially since Mamdani is pushing for immigration policies opposed by Trump.
Despite this, the two appeared to agree on making the city more affordable, and on Sunday, Mamdani reiterated that he wanted to work with the president where he could to fulfill that vision for the city.
“I think the responsibility I have as the mayor of this city is to work with anyone who can help to alleviate the affordability crisis and deliver dignity to each and every person that calls the city home,” Mamdani said.
Mamdani said that he spoke about housing, public transit, childcare, and zoning laws with Trump.
“At the heart of it, again and again, came back to the recognition that what New Yorkers are desperate for, no matter at what level of politics they’re thinking about, is some relief from a cost-of-living crisis,” he said. “I think it was New Yorkers that won in this conversation.”
The friendly meeting with the president
Despite Mamdani’s anti-Trump platform and his tour, “The Five Boroughs Against Trump,” the Oval Office meeting was friendly. Trump had previously called Mamdani a “communist” and even threatened to have him arrested for his plans to obstruct ICE operations.
Yet, the meeting proved far from hostile. Later on Friday, Trump posted on Truth Social, “It was a Great Honor meeting Zohran Mamdani, the new Mayor of New York City!” along with photos from their discussion.
