On Friday, November 14, New York City Mayor Eric Adams will travel to Israel for a multi-day trip to meet with government officials, economic development leaders, and members of the tech community. He will also visit religious sites and discuss efforts to combat antisemitism here in New York City and across the world.
The mayor will be in Israel through Tuesday, November 18.
More details on the trip will be forthcoming.
Many illegal aliens who the media claim are “non-criminals” are actually gang members, terrorists, human rights abusers, and foreign fugitives who lack a rap sheet in the U.S.
Earlier this month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a criminal illegal alien who is a confirmed member of the 18th Street Gang, a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), and was on El Salvador’s most wanted gang members’ list.
Antonio Israel Lazo-Quintanilla was arrested by ICE in October. While technically his only crime in the United States is driving without a license, this illegal alien is wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide, extortion, possession of drugs, and a litany of other felonies.
70% of the illegal aliens arrested by ICE have been charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S. But this statistic doesn’t even count gang members, terrorists, human rights abusers, and foreign fugitives who lack a rap sheet in the U.S.
“70% of ICE arrests are of criminal illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the United States,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “This gang member on El Salvador’s most wanted list is a perfect example of ICE targeting the worst of the worst. He may lack a violent rap sheet in the U.S. but this criminal illegal alien is clearly a public safety threat. The media’s false claims that ICE is not arresting the worst of the worst simply has no grounding. In reality, ICE is arresting criminal illegal aliens BEFORE they can victimize Americans.”
Despite the clear and present danger posed by criminal illegal aliens, the mainstream media continues to whip up violence against ICE and DHS law enforcement by falsely claiming DHS is not targeting the worst of the worst. Below are some examples of the most egregious headlines:
Bills were passed by the City Council in October with veto-proof majorities
In response to Mayor Adams vetoing Introductions 982-A, 984-A, 1248-B, and 1372 on Friday night, the New York City Council issued the following statement from spokesperson Julia Agos:
“At a time when New Yorkers are clearly calling on our leaders to tackle affordability, income inequality, and deliver basic services they rely on, it is embarrassing that Mayor Adams would use his final days in office to stand in the way of what the city needs.
“These vetoes are just the latest display of governing incompetence and a profoundly ignorant rejection of policies that would directly benefit working-class New Yorkers. By blocking these bills that strengthen pay equity, protect tenants from becoming rent burdened, and improve accountability, Mayor Adams is once again abandoning good governance and delivering for the people he is supposed to represent. The Council will continue to stand up and deliver for New Yorkers.”
The following legislation was vetoed by Mayor Adams:
Advancing Pay Equity
Two bills that would increase salary transparency for New York City private employers, excluding small businesses, to provide publicly available study of pay equity:
Introduction 982-A, sponsored by Council Member Tiffany Cabán, would require private employers with more than 200 employees working in the City to submit a pay data report to a designated agency in order to improve wage transparency.
Introduction 984-A, sponsored by Majority Leader Amanda FarÃas, would require a designated agency, in coordination with the Commission on Gender Equity and other relevant agencies, to conduct an annual pay equity study on private employers with 200 or more employees.
Reforming Contracting and Payment Processes
As part of the Council’s efforts to reduce the City’s chronically late payments to contracted non-profit service organizations, the Council passed several bills. This bill codified the existing Mayor’s Office of Contract Services in law within the City Charter to increase accountability.
Introduction 1248-B, sponsored by Speaker Adrienne Adams, would establish an Office of Contract Services, the head of which would be the Director of Contract Services, who would serve as the City Chief Procurement Officer. The Office would have the authority to coordinate citywide procurement activities for mayoral agencies, including reviewing contract guidelines, conducting pre-audit and post-audit reviews of contracts, and providing training and technical assistance on procurement matters.
Preventing CityFHEPS Recipients from Being Rent Burdened
This bill sought to prevent implementation of a new agency rule, proposed earlier this year by the Department of Social Services, that would increase certain CityFHEPS voucher holders’ rent contributions from 30% to 40% of their gross income after their fifth year in the program. This would have made these New Yorkers rent burdened by definition, with higher rent costs for nearly 30,000 low-income New Yorkers.
Introduction 1372, sponsored by Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala, would require that the rent contribution for CityFHEPS recipients not exceed 30 percent of the household’s total monthly income, regardless of whether the household receives public assistance or has earned income.
New York Attorney General Letitia James today won a court order temporarily blocking the Trump administration’s attempts to claw back Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and punish states that release them. Attorney General James and 24 other attorneys general and governors filed an emergency motion for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) last night after the Trump administration sent states an alarming late-night memo directing them to “immediately undo” the release of SNAP benefits. In a Saturday night letter, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ignored its own prior guidance and threatened that the release of full November benefits would be considered “unauthorized.” Several states, including New York, had already begun issuing these benefits in accordance with USDA’s Friday memo stating that the agency would soon release full funding.
“The Trump administration has been relentless in its effort to keep food off of Americans’ plates, but once again a court has stepped in to stop them,” said Attorney General James. “This order ensures that families can keep the food assistance they need and that states won’t be punished for doing their jobs. New Yorkers should not hesitate to use their rightful SNAP benefits as their cards are reloaded. If you have your benefits, use them. My office will deal with the federal government in court.”
Attorney General James and the coalition sued the federal government on October 28 for withholding November SNAP benefits during the shutdown. On October 31, a federal court ruled in their favor, requiring USDA to use its contingency funds to at least partially fund benefits. On Thursday, November 6, a second judge ordered USDA to immediately release full benefits, prompting the agency to notify states on Friday, November 7 that full funding would be available imminently. Based on that memo, New York and other states began issuing full benefits. Later on the evening of November 7, the administration appealed the court rulings, ultimately obtaining a temporary administrative stay from the Supreme Court, after several states had already transmitted their data to their SNAP vendor.
Then, on Saturday, November 8, at 10 p.m., USDA issued yet another memo reversing its previous communication and baselessly claiming that any state’s release of full benefits was “unauthorized.” The agency ordered states to “immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025” and threatened to hold states financially liable if they failed to claw back benefits – going so far as to warn that it could withhold the basic administrative funding it is legally required to provide. The following night, on Sunday, November 9, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit denied the administration’s request for a stay pending appeal, leaving in place the lower court’s order requiring USDA to release full SNAP benefits.
Today, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts partially granted the coalition’s request for a Temporary Restraining Order, staying the administration’s Saturday night directive and setting a hearing for later today to discuss the full motion.
As of yesterday, November 9, New Yorkers have begun to see their November SNAP benefits reflected on their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. These benefits can and should be used as normal. Attorney General James reminds all New York retailers participating in SNAP that they are legally required to accept benefits as long as customers have a sufficient balance. Any New Yorker who is wrongfully denied the ability to use their EBT card should remind the retailer of their right to do so and immediately report the incident to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG).
In the motion filed last night, Attorney General James and the coalition argued that in issuing four contradictory notices in five days, USDA plunged states into further confusion and jeopardized access to food assistance for millions of families. USDA’s conflicting guidance created operational chaos, forcing state agencies to repeatedly reprogram benefit systems, resend issuance files, and respond to widespread confusion among SNAP recipients. The attorneys general warned that this “whipsaw approach” has strained limited state resources and eroded public trust in the SNAP program.
The coalition argued that USDA’s Saturday night memo is the latest in a long pattern of arbitrary, capricious, and unlawful conduct. It violated the Administrative Procedure Act by reversing course without explanation, ignoring the states' needs and legal obligations, and demanding the impossible – ordering states to “undo” benefits already loaded onto families’ EBT cards. The coalition also asserted that USDA lacks any legal authority to compel such clawbacks or to penalize states for following prior court orders and the agency’s own guidance.
Joining Attorney General James in filing this motion are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, as well as the governors of Kansas, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.
$17.8 Million Invested in New York City, Including $10 Million for a Stormwater Upgrade in Brooklyn and Queens
Green Resiliency Grants Are Funded by Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022
Launches New One-Stop Website, resilient.ny.gov, To Help Easily Connect New Yorkers to Resiliency and Mitigation Resources
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $61 million in Green Resiliency Grant funding to advance eight transformative stormwater infrastructure projects across the state. Funded through the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, these grants deliver on Governor Hochul’s commitment to protect New Yorkers from extreme weather. From Long Island to Western New York, awarded projects will use nature-based solutions to better manage stormwater, reduce pressure on wastewater systems, and protect neighborhoods from the increasingly severe effects of storms.
“Too many communities have experienced the devastation of severe flooding, and that’s why we’re investing in resiliency initiatives to protect vulnerable areas and make our state stronger and more resilient,” Governor Hochul said. “We’re investing where it matters — not just reacting to the next storm, but preparing for it — protecting families and businesses in the process.”
New York City is receiving a combined $17.8 million to advance two major green infrastructure initiatives. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection will receive $10 million for the North and South Conduit Median Green Infrastructure Project in Brooklyn and Queens, which will capture and treat stormwater to ease pressure on the City’s sewer system and protect water quality in Jamaica Bay. In addition, a $7.9 million grant to the New York City Housing Authority will fund flood-mitigation measures at the Clinton Houses, reducing localized flooding, safeguarding critical infrastructure, and improving water quality in the Harlem River.
GRG is part of Governor Hochul’s comprehensive resiliency plan and actions to safeguard clean water. The program launched in 2024 as a Governor’s State of the State initiative, with $60 million awarded in the inaugural round. The grants are administered through the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC).
Awarded Funding:
Today’s announcement reflects the latest in Environmental Bond Act investments to enhance shoreline resiliency, encourage economic development, revitalize neighborhoods, and bolster recreational opportunities. New Yorkers overwhelmingly approved the Environmental Bond Act ballot proposition in November 2022 to make $4.2 billion available for environmental and community projects. State agencies, local governments, and partners can access this historic funding to protect water quality, mitigate the impacts of increasingly severe weather, and create green jobs.
Additionally, with the coastal storm season still underway and harsher winter weather on the horizon, Governor Hochul launched a new, comprehensive tool — resilient.ny.gov — to connect New Yorkers with the wide-ranging State investments and initiatives available to make their communities more resilient and adaptive to climate change.
The resilient.ny.gov website offers a centralized resilience platform — a one-stop shop for residents, businesses, and municipalities to find the resources, assistance, and funding opportunities needed to plan, adapt, and strengthen communities. The site features an easy-to-navigate directory that helps guide users to emergency planning information and programs like the Green Resiliency Grants announced today, among many other opportunities for grants, rebates, and incentives available across numerous state agencies and authorities. The site also includes information about how the State is planning ahead to meet future needs through the New York State Adaptation and Resilience Plan.
With $500 million allocated for clean water infrastructure in the FY26 Enacted Budget announced by Governor Hochul, New York will have invested a total of $6 billion in water infrastructure since 2017. Any community needing assistance with water infrastructure projects is encouraged to contact EFC. New Yorkers can track projects benefiting from EFC’s investments using the interactive project impact dashboard.
The Defendants Allegedly Rigged Pitches with Corrupt Sports Bettors, Who Placed Fraudulent Wagers Worth Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging two defendants, Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz and Luis Leandro Ortiz Ribera, with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy, for their alleged roles in a scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown during Major League Baseball (MLB) games. Ortiz was arrested earlier today in Boston, Massachusetts, and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, Massachusetts on November 10, 2025. Ortiz will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date. Clase is currently not in U.S. custody.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the indictment and arrest.
“Professional athletes, like Luis Leandro Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz hold a position of trust—not only with their teammates and their professional leagues, but with fans who believe in fair play,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “As alleged, the defendants sold that trust to gamblers by fixing pitches. In doing so, the defendants deprived the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball of their honest services. They defrauded the online betting platforms where the bets were placed. And they betrayed America’s pastime. Integrity, honesty and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports. When corruption infiltrates the sport, it brings disgrace not only to the participants but damages the public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us. Today’s charges make clear that our Office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who corrupt sports through illegal means.”
“Luis Leandro Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz allegedly rigged their pitches in professional baseball games, so that an inner circle, and occasionally themselves, could quietly cash out their winnings,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “The defendants' alleged greed not only established an unfair advantage for select bettors, but also sullied the reputation of America's pastime. The FBI will ensure any individual who exploits their position as a professional athlete at the expense of others strikes out."
As set forth in the indictment, the defendants agreed in advance with their co-conspirators on specific pitches that they would throw in MLB games. The co-conspirators then used that information to place hundreds of fraudulent bets on those pitches.
Beginning in or around May 2023, Clase, a relief pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians, agreed with corrupt sports bettors to rig proposition bets – or “prop” bets – on particular pitches he threw. The bettors wagered on the speed and type of Clase’s pitches, based on information they knew in advance by coordinating with Clase, sometimes even during MLB games. Clase often threw these rigged pitches on the first pitch of an at-bat. To ensure certain pitches were called as balls, Clase threw many of them in the dirt, well outside the strike zone. The bettors used the advanced, inside information that Clase provided about his future pitches to wager thousands of dollars at online sportsbooks.
Clase at times received bribes and kickbacks from the bettors in exchange for providing advanced, non-public information. He also sometimes provided money to the bettors in advance to fund the scheme. The indictment includes numerous examples of pitches that Clase rigged, including one in the Eastern District of New York in a game against the New York Mets. In total, by rigging pitches, Clase caused his co-conspirator bettors to win at least $400,000 in fraudulent wagers.
In or around June 2025, Ortiz, a starting pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians, joined the criminal scheme. Together with Clase, Ortiz agreed in advance to throw balls (instead of strikes) on pitches in two games in exchange for bribes and kickbacks. Before an MLB game on June 15, 2025, Ortiz agreed with his co-conspirators to throw a ball on a particular pitch in exchange for bribes. The bettors agreed to pay Ortiz a $5,000 bribe for throwing the rigged pitch and Clase a $5,000 bribe for arranging the rigged pitch.
Before an MLB game on June 27, 2025, Ortiz agreed with his co-conspirators to rig a second pitch by throwing a ball in exchange for a bribe. The bettors agreed to pay Ortiz a $7,000 bribe for throwing the rigged pitch and Clase a $7,000 bribe for arranging the rigged pitch. Before the game on June 27, 2025, Clase withdrew $50,000 in cash and provided $15,000 to a co-conspirator, who used the money to wager on Ortiz’s rigged pitch during the game. In total, by rigging pitches for bribes, Ortiz caused his co-conspirator bettors to win at least $60,000 in fraudulent wagers.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on the wire fraud conspiracy count, 20 years’ imprisonment on the honest services wire fraud conspiracy count, five years’ imprisonment on the conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery count, and 20 years’ imprisonment on the money laundering conspiracy count.
Sanctuary politicians and media refuse to stop smearing law enforcement that is contributing to these attacks
Yesterday around 9:30 AM, in the Chicago neighborhood of Little Village, U.S. Border Patrol was attacked while conducting immigration enforcement operations. Border Patrol was accosted by a hostile crowd that boxed them into a street and alleyway. As they were apprehending a subject, agents came under direct gunfire when a male driving a black Jeep Wrangler fired multiple rounds. He immediately fled the scene.
Attackers then began throwing bricks and even a paint cans from a roof, damaging Border Patrol vehicles. Chicago Police Department successfully helped law enforcement evacuate the area as more bricks were thrown at the law enforcements’ vehicle. Fortunately, no Border Patrol agents were injured in this attack.
After clearing the scene of the first attack, Border Patrol then encountered a vehicle that attempted to ram their convoy at the intersection of Cermak and California, but was thwarted when a Controlled Tire Deflation Device was deployed. The Border Patrol convoy then proceeded toward an FBI facility and encountered two drivers trying to impede operations. After they were warned to stop, one of the drivers attempted to ram the convoy. The driver was arrested. Border Patrol reached the FBI facility when rioters attempted to breach security there. Chicago Police responded to help secure the perimeter.
Border Patrol then left the FBI facility and then encountered protesters lying in the street near 26th and Pulaski. As the rioters refused to comply with basic instructions and began throwing objects, Border Patrol deployed crowd control measures, cleared the area, and proceeded to a Sam’s Club parking lot. Individuals stalked and followed the convoy into the parking lot and a vehicle rammed a Border Patrol’s vehicle. Three suspects were immediately arrested for assault.
After departing the parking lot, the law enforcement convoy was again attacked resulting in a broken window. The convoy became stuck at 26th and Kostner and sustained window damage along with a fourth vehicle ramming. The subject fled the scene and Border Patrol pursued. This driver remains at large.
As a result of yesterday’s multiple attacks—fueled by sanctuary politicians and the media—Border Patrol arrested 8 U.S. citizens and one illegal alien. Thankfully, no Border Patrol agents were injured during these multiple attacks.
“JB Pritzker and Brandon Johnson have fueled an environment of lawlessness and assault on federal law enforcement,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “In less than three hours in Chicago, Border Patrol faced gunshots, violent mobs at every stop, bricks and other objects thrown at them, and four vehicle rammings. The violence in Chicago against law enforcement is unprecedented—These attacks are the consequence of vitriolic smears from sanctuary politicians and the media. Just last week, Chicago and national media falsely accused law enforcement of raiding a daycare center. Now, they are silent when our agents come under gunfire.
“Make no mistake: Our mission will continue despite the violence. To any Antifa terrorist in Chicago: You will not stop us. You will not slow us down. And if you lay a hand on law enforcement, you will face the consequences.”
Below are some of consequences of these domestic terror attacks:
Governor Kathy Hochul today urged caution ahead of forecasted lake effect snow set to impact portions of Western New York. Winter Weather Advisories have been issued for Sunday night into Monday morning, with three to six inches of snow forecasted for Chautauqua County and three to five inches possible in Niagara and Orleans Counties and localized higher amounts possible. An initial bout of snowfall will begin Sunday evening and carry into Monday morning before tapering off and beginning again Monday evening into Tuesday night. The later occurrence of lake effect snow may impact visibility when driving, in addition to slippery road conditions. ‘Feels like’ temperatures are also expected to drop to the low-to-mid teens in many areas of the state.
“As winter weather moves in this week, I am urging New Yorkers in impacted areas to use caution and take measures to prepare for cold and snowy conditions,” Governor Hochul said. “State agencies are at the ready to assist New Yorkers and to ensure our communities remain safe during the first winter storm of the year.”
Following a period of widespread rain showers Sunday, a strong cold front with low ‘feels like’ temperatures between 10 and 20 degrees is expected to cause a changeover to snow beginning Sunday night. Lake enhanced bands of snow will develop southeast of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and persist through at least Monday night, also impacting the North Country and Central New York. Periodic lighter snow is also possible outside of the primary lake effect areas. As westerly winds strengthen, it may direct weaker intensity lake snows due east of the lakes on Tuesday.
In addition to preparing for snow, New Yorkers should also prepare to protect against the dangers that can result from colder weather and winter activities. Under state regulation, a Code Blue is automatically in effect whenever the temperature and wind chill falls below 32 degrees. Local social services districts are legally required to take necessary steps to ensure those experiencing homelessness have access to shelter and that shelter hours are extended. Cold Weather tips from the Department of Health can be found here; additional tips for preventing frostbite and hypothermia can be found here; information on Carbon Monoxide poisoning can be found here; information on the proper use of generators can be found here; safe winter driving tips can be found here.
The New York State Department of Labor advises workers and employers to engage in extreme cold weather best practices such as:
More Information on best practices for working in cold weather can be found here.
Winter Weather Advisories have been issued for areas across the state and New Yorkers should closely monitor their local forecasts and look for updates issued by the National Weather Service. For a complete listing of weather alerts, visit the National Weather Service website at alerts.weather.gov.
New Yorkers should also ensure that government emergency alerts are enabled on their mobile phones. They should also sign up for real-time weather and emergency alerts that will be texted to their phones by texting their county or borough name to 333111.
Winter Driving Safety Tips
Motorists should not attempt to pass snowplows or follow too closely. The safest place for motorists to drive is well behind the snowplows where the roadway is clear and salted. Never attempt to pass a snowplow while it's operating.
