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Dear New Yorkers,

Mayor Eric Adams has stood out among Democrats by meeting with, and failing to criticize, President Donald Trump. It’s a notable change from 2018, when he called Trump an “idiot” and likened him to a buffoon in a fiery Martin Luther King Day speech.

Adams’ criticism came at an annual MLK tribute at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, filmed when he was borough president. Seven years later as mayor, Adams cancelled plans to speak at the very same event this past Monday so that he could attend Trump’s second inauguration in Washington D.C.

Trump in December said he would consider pardoning Adams, after saying earlier that they were both victims of vindictive investigations because of their opposition to former President Joe Biden’s immigration policy — an assertion which has been disputed by prosecutors.

Since he’s been under federal indictment, Adams’ stance on Trump’s policies has shifted: he’s been unwilling to criticize a number of controversial executive orders Trump signed on his first day since returning to office.

But not so long ago, he said that the former president’s opinions should only be given as much validity as those of a “crackhead” on the street.

Read more about what Adams had to say about Trump in 2018.

Weather ☀️

Sunny and a high near 32.

MTA 🚇

From 11:45 p.m. tonight until Monday 5 a.m., the L train will only run between Canarsie-Rockaway Parkway and 14th Street-Union Square, and won’t go to 6th or 8th Avenue in Manhattan. Find all the MTA’s planned changes and the latest delays here.

Alternate side parking 🚙

It’s back in effect today, Jan. 24.

By the way …

Whether you want to repair a broken mailbox, reserve public park space or get a new street tree planted, here’s how to figure out who to call to get local problems fixed.

Our Other Top Stories

Former Brooklyn Democratic Party boss Frank Seddio was unanimously approved as a commissioner on the city's Board of Elections by the City Council’s Democratic caucus following a more contentious closed-door vote by its Brooklyn members. His confirmation on Jan. 13 came despite objections from good government groups and a number of the party’s political clubs, and without any formal opportunity for public comment.  When sleeping on the street is deadly and shelters are dangerous, homeless New Yorkers looking for warmth retreat underground. Overnight, our reporters spoke to the people for whom the subways serve as default shelters. Despite increased outreach efforts by the Department of Homeless Services to get people indoors, many find the subways to be safer, warmer, and less likely to result in stolen belongings than the alternatives. Last September, a federal judge ordered jail officials to confer with lawyers to develop a plan for an “outside person” to take over the jails on Rikers Island. On Friday, the two sides in the case are each expected to file their own versions of what the so-called receiver would look like — but after four months, they still have not been able to reach an agreement.  A new report has found that 80% of New York respondents suffered symptoms for more than a month after being infected with Covid-19. From our friends at Healthbeat New York, here’s what we know about the latest research on Long Covid in New York: symptoms, treatments and risks.  This year is huge for NYC local elections. The mayor is trying to win reelection while facing federal corruption charges, and he’s up against a crowded field. Also up in the air: all 51 seats in the City Council, the city comptroller, public advocate, all five borough presidents and two of the city’s five district attorneys. Overwhelmed? Don’t be. We’ve got it covered: Sign up for our new weekly election newsletter RANKED CHOICES here.

Reporter’s Notebook

The Cost of Mass Deportations

Mass deportations of undocumented immigrants by the Trump administration would be a severe blow to the New York State economy, according to new research released Thursday by the Fiscal Policy Institute and the Immigration Research Initiative.

The report notes that the state’s 670,000 undocumented residents paid $3.1 billion in state and local taxes and argued that if that number of them were deported, a labor shortage would raise the cost of living, force some businesses to shrink because of a lack of workers and spur an economic squeeze that would cost some 40,000 native-born workers their jobs.

Key areas at risk are restaurants, with 42,000 undocumented workers or 12% of their workforce. Ten percent or 51,000 of care workers, including maids and health care workers, are at risk. There are 50,000 undocumented construction workers in all, including a quarter of all that trade’s laborers.

— Greg David

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Friday, Jan. 24: Take a dance fitness class at the Ryan Health-Chelsea Clinton Community Health Center in Manhattan. 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25: Customize your tote bag with tie-dye at the Queens Public Library. Call to sign up. Sunnyside branch, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25: If you want to help prevent flooding in your apartment and your community, hear solutions from policy experts and tradespeople at the Flood Solutions Fair. Van Alen Institute, Gowanus, Brooklyn, 1 to 4 p.m.

THE KICKER: The next 212? New area codes are coming for The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and Manhattan’s Marble Hill neighborhood.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Friday.

Love,

THE CITY

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