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Mastro recalls Giuliani administration's stance on sanctuary policies

8:15:53

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121 sec

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Randy Mastro discusses his recollection of the Giuliani administration's support for sanctuary policies and the subsequent enshrinement of these policies in the city charter.

Confirms that the Giuliani administration supported sanctuary policies
Mentions his role in chairing a Charter Commission that enshrined these policies into the city charter
Acknowledges some limitations and exceptions in Giuliani's executive order, but cannot recall specific details due to the time that has passed

Randy Mastro

8:15:53

I recall that the administration I served supported the policy that you just described.

8:16:02

And as I blamed earlier in my testimony, I chaired a Merrill Charter Commission that enshrined that into the city Charter, and the voters approved it overwhelmingly.

Alexa Avilés

8:16:17

Which we are happy for.

8:16:20

I wanna I wanna help clarify also some misinformation because there seems to be an overgeneralization occurring today about the laws that may have also been the case when Giuliani's policies were being attacked.

8:16:33

Is it true that the Giuliani executive order that prohibited undocumented immigrants from being reported to ICE while using city services did not completely cut off full cooperation by the city and cooperation with ICE officials?

Randy Mastro

8:16:50

I I don't recall what the limitations of that were, but I think there were some some narrow provisions

Alexa Avilés

8:17:00

it did not cut off cooperation with ICE officials 100%.

Randy Mastro

8:17:05

I don't believe that the policy that existed in our administration was any different than the policy that existed in the Jenkins Administration or the Koch administration?

Alexa Avilés

8:17:17

Right.

8:17:18

So it's fair to it's fair to say that that it created guardrails that's sort to prevent our city's workforce from being placed in in a position of doing the federal government's work.

8:17:29

With public safety exceptions?

Randy Mastro

8:17:32

I think that would be correct, but you're asking me to go back 25, 30 years.

8:17:37

I don't remember the specific provisions, but it was the same policy and then it was enshrined in the city constitution as a result of a city charter amendment that charter commission I chaired proposed to be put on the ballot and was passed overwhelmingly by the voters.

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Council Member Avilés provides context on NYC's sanctuary policies

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Discussion of current laws on cooperation with ICE and public safety exceptions