Eric Adams Fires Back At Reporter Asking If Focus On Migrant Crime Betrays Pope Francis's Example

At a press briefing, NYC Mayor Eric Adams was asked about whether his focus on migrant crime runs against his remembrance of Pope Francis.

Transcript

00:00One noteworthy thing about Pope Francis was his really profound empathy for the downtrodden and immigrants.

00:09Do you have any concerns that your sort of emphasis on crimes committed by migrants is sort of unfair,

00:16given that migrants actually commit fewer crimes on a per capita basis than U.S. citizens?

00:26I don't understand the question.

00:27My question is, you are sort of publicly mourning Pope Francis, who had a really sort of noteworthy empathy for immigrants.

00:35So the question is, do you have any regrets about your emphasis on the crimes committed by migrants,

00:41given that statistically they commit crimes at a less frequent rate than U.S. citizens?

00:47Well, tell me, what is a greater level of empathy for migrants than someone who takes in 240,000,

00:55190,000, or going on with their next level of their lives, who educated 40,000 children,

01:02who ensured their legal services, who ensured that they were housed, cleaned, clean environment,

01:09clothing, fed, national leaders, Dana, has stated that, Eric, you have done what no other city has done?

01:21What is a greater level of empathy than providing for them?

01:27And I don't point out that when undocumented people commit a crime.

01:32I point out when anyone commits a crime.

01:36And so if you are documented or undocumented and you shoot a police officer or you rape a child

01:41or you rape a 14-year-old child up in Harlem and then you're out and a few days later,

01:49when you hurt innocent people, I'm going to push against you.

01:53And I've done that regardless if you're documented or undocumented.

01:57I'm on the side of innocent people, New Yorkers and Americans, that are being victimized by any group.

02:05You know, so I know what side I'm on.

02:07The question is, is whose side are you on?

02:09I'm on the side of broken-class people who are being victimized by anyone,

02:14a small number of people in this city and in this country, victimized innocent people.

02:20And I'm not going to say because you're undocumented, I'm not going to talk about you.

02:24No, I'm going to talk about anyone that victimizes innocent people in this city.

02:31I'm on the side of broken-class innocent people.

02:34The question many people need to start asking themselves is whose side are they on?