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OAN Staff Cory Hawkins
1:45 PM – Saturday, January 24, 2026
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that his new free child care programs will “not ask the immigration status” of the children involved, proclaiming that his administration is “proud” that New York City is an “immigrant city.”
Mamdani explicitly stated that immigration status would not be checked, suggesting that undocumented children would be included. The initiative, known as the Universal Child Care Expansion, prioritizes adding seats in 3-K and pre-K programs for all families, regardless of income or immigration status, with a phased rollout starting in underserved neighborhoods.
However, critics argue that extending benefits to non-citizens will strain the city’s resources and raise questions about taxpayer equity.
“We have policies in place, policies that have existed for years in this city that deny ICE agents access into schools, hospitals, city properties, or even the properties of city contractors unless those ICE agents can present a judicial warrant signed by a judge,” said Mamdani.
The plan includes investments to expand seats, boost enrollment through outreach, and make preschool available and free of cost to any family in New York City, with applications now open for the upcoming school year.
“I want to be very clear that we are proud to be an immigrant city. We are proud of the incredible tapestry that is New York, the beautiful mosaic, as [former Mayor] David Dinkins would speak about, and this is one example of a city program that we are encouraging everyone to apply to, to see themselves as a part of and to know that we are going to use every single law that we have here to protect the health and safety of everyone who signs up,” Mamdani said at a roundtable on Friday.
Mamdani reminded New Yorkers that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is not allowed in certain locations within the five boroughs without a warrant.
The mayor’s policy comes after Thursday’s accusations against ICE that a 5-year-old boy was arrested in Columbia Heights, Minnesota. However, the child and his father were detained together in their driveway after arriving home from preschool, though ICE officials accused the father of abandoning the child during the encounter.
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