NYC Mayor Says Immigration Status Will Not Be Checked For Pre K Programs

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is drawing renewed controversy after announcing that his administration will not verify the immigration status of children enrolled in the city’s taxpayer-funded universal pre-K and 3-K programs, reinforcing New York’s status as a sanctuary city even as the federal government intensifies immigration enforcement under President Donald J. Trump.

Speaking Friday during a media roundtable, Mamdani made clear that immigration status will not be considered when families apply for the early childhood programs.

“Just to put it very clearly, these are programs for every single New Yorker,” Mamdani said.

“These are not programs that are going to ask the immigration status of any one of the children. All of those children are New Yorkers,” he added. “They should all be enrolled in 3-K and pre-K, no matter where they were born or where they come from. And we are also proud to be a sanctuary city.”

Mamdani explained that New York City’s sanctuary policies prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement from accessing schools, hospitals, and other city-owned properties unless agents present a judicial warrant signed by a judge.

“We know that the vast majority of the time, ICE agents are not presenting that kind of documentation,” Mamdani said. “If they’re presenting any kind of documentation, it tends to be an administrative warrant. And a lot of times, there isn’t any kind of documentation provided.”

Earlier this month, the mayor announced that the expanded pre-K and 3-K programs will be open to all New York City residents with children turning three or four at any point in 2026. Mamdani argued the initiative could save families tens of thousands of dollars annually by offering free childcare—though critics note the program will be funded by city taxpayers already facing rising costs.

“So we want to make clear the rights of every New Yorker that they have in this city,” Mamdani said. “This program is being made available to all, and the fact that we are proud of our values, we are proud of our laws. They keep us safe, and they are also part and parcel of who we are.”

The remarks came in response to a reporter’s question about how the city plans to shield families from immigration enforcement while their children are enrolled in city-run programs. The childcare expansion was unveiled earlier this month in partnership with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Mamdani’s announcement comes as he faces mounting criticism over rising transit costs, particularly after city bus and subway fares increased shortly after he took office. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority implemented a long-planned fare hike this week, raising the base fare from $2.90 to $3. Reduced fares increased to $1.50, while express bus fares rose to $7.25, Newsweek reported.

The timing of the fare hike has fueled backlash from residents who pointed to Mamdani’s campaign promise to make city buses free. Critics argue the increase highlights a growing gap between progressive campaign rhetoric and the fiscal realities of governing the nation’s largest city.

Responding to the criticism, Mamdani said he rode the Q70 bus—the city’s only fare-free route—over the weekend to speak with riders. He stopped short of announcing any policy changes.

“Today, New York City subway and bus fares rose from $2.90 to $3. I spent the evening riding the only free bus in the city, the Q70, to hear what a fare free ride has meant for New Yorkers,” Mamdani wrote on X on Sunday. “What was clear right away was the relief this one bus line gives working class New Yorkers. Imagine if every bus felt like this.”