NYC BREAKING: New York lawmaker Zohran Mamdani openly defies President Donald Trump, slamming the deportation of ‘anti-Israel’ activist Mahmoud Khalil as a direct attack on free speech and democratic dissent.
Mamdani accused the Trump administration of weaponizing immigration law to silence political opposition, warning that the move sets a dangerous precedent amid rising political tensions in the U.S.
The deportation has sparked outrage across New York, igniting a fierce debate over civil liberties, national security, and political repression. As protests grow and political lines harden, the clash highlights an escalating Trump vs NYC power struggle with national implications.
#MahmoudKhalil #MahmoudKhalilDeportation #MahmoudKhalilDeportationOrder #MamdaniDefendsMahmoudKhalil #MamdaniDefiesDeportation #JudgeOrdersMahmoudKhalilDeported #MahmoudKhalilICE #KhalilDeportation #KhalilSyriaAlgeria #ZohranMamdani #ZohranMamdaniOnDeportation #MahmoudKhalilTrial #PalestinianActivistMahmoudKhalil #MahmoudKhalilICERaid #MahmoudKhalilColumbia #MahmoudKhalilGreenCard #USDeportations
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Mamdani accused the Trump administration of weaponizing immigration law to silence political opposition, warning that the move sets a dangerous precedent amid rising political tensions in the U.S.
The deportation has sparked outrage across New York, igniting a fierce debate over civil liberties, national security, and political repression. As protests grow and political lines harden, the clash highlights an escalating Trump vs NYC power struggle with national implications.
#MahmoudKhalil #MahmoudKhalilDeportation #MahmoudKhalilDeportationOrder #MamdaniDefendsMahmoudKhalil #MamdaniDefiesDeportation #JudgeOrdersMahmoudKhalilDeported #MahmoudKhalilICE #KhalilDeportation #KhalilSyriaAlgeria #ZohranMamdani #ZohranMamdaniOnDeportation #MahmoudKhalilTrial #PalestinianActivistMahmoudKhalil #MahmoudKhalilICERaid #MahmoudKhalilColumbia #MahmoudKhalilGreenCard #USDeportations
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NewsTranscript
00:00Hi, Mr. Mayor, I wanted to ask you, you know, Mahmoud Khalil has a deportation order to Algeria.
00:06I'm wondering, are you doing any back-channeling with the president on his case to get that changed?
00:12And then I noticed the borough president is here the first time since he's been endorsed by Nidia Velazquez.
00:19And the question for both of you, you know, you both standing here united,
00:22what does this mean for the Democratic Party here in New York
00:25that seems to be schisming and splitting between progressives and democratic socialists?
00:30So I will go with your first question, then I'll go to your second question.
00:35Mahmoud Khalil is a New Yorker.
00:37He should remain in New York City.
00:39We have seen this attack on him as part of a larger attack on the freedom of speech
00:46that is especially pronounced when it comes to the use of that speech to stand up for Palestinian human rights.
00:52And I will make that clear to everyone, and I have said it time and again,
00:56that he deserves to stay in this city.
00:58He deserves to be in this city just like any other New Yorker.
01:02Good morning, everyone.
01:03Good morning.
01:05We are together today to discuss our new efforts to provide health care to young New Yorkers
01:11through an exciting initiative with New York City Health and Hospitals.
01:16But before we do, sorry, brother, if you want to just shift over a little bit.
01:24Let me know if we're good.
01:27It takes all of us together.
01:30Before we do speak about the topic at hand,
01:32I do want to first speak directly to New Yorkers about the snowstorm that is forecast to hit our city this week.
01:39Here are the facts.
01:40We are expecting precipitation to begin late Saturday or early Sunday and to possibly last into Monday.
01:47The forecast is predicting anywhere from 3 to 12 inches of snow.
01:51New Yorkers know that forecasts do not always get it right.
01:54It is entirely possible that we get less than 3 inches and just as possible that we get over a foot.
01:59While we cannot control how much snow will actually fall this weekend,
02:04we can control how we prepare for and respond to this storm.
02:08And so that is why tomorrow we are going to begin citywide pre-snow treatment.
02:13What that means is that we will brine all highways, major streets, and bike lanes to mitigate snow and ice accumulation.
02:20And we are also going to accelerate cleanup once the storm has passed.
02:24So on Saturday morning, roughly 2,000 sanitation workers will begin 12-hour shifts, removing snow around the clock.
02:32As we speak, our sanitation fleet is being transformed into a snow-clearing fleet.
02:38DSNY is very good at what they do, and they are very well-practiced at this work.
02:43And as the snow falls more heavily on Saturday evening, we will deploy 700 salt spreaders.
02:48We are going to be able to hit every single part of our city with multiple passes.
02:53And once a couple of inches of snow have fallen, snow plows will begin operating across the city.
02:59And since the storm is bringing with it a cold front, cold blue is also going to be in effect.
03:05What that means is that outreach teams are going to canvas the city to connect vulnerable New Yorkers to shelter.
03:10Now, I know that New York City parents and students both want to know what this means for school, although I imagine they want to hear different answers.
03:19So we are working to do everything that we can to keep our schools open.
03:23And once we make a final decision as to what it will look like on Monday, we will communicate that clearly and directly to families and to students themselves.
03:31And I want to thank in advance the thousands of city workers who will be hard at work over the days to come, who will keep our city running and who will take care of our fellow New Yorkers.
03:43This forecast is quickly changing, and the city will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves.
03:49I would ask if you are interested, and I would ask even if you're not, to please sign up to notify NYC to receive the latest information on the storm.
03:57We have millions of New Yorkers who have signed up already.
03:59We encourage others to do the same.
04:01And so my recommendation to New Yorkers before we speak more about the topic at hand is that if you're interested in buying some groceries or getting a new winter coat today, I would recommend is the day to do so.
04:11Do not leave it until the weekend.
04:14I ask that everyone not only stay warm, but stay prepared because we want everyone to stay safe.
04:19So with that, we want to also look out for the people of the city, not just when a snowstorm is coming, but frankly, every day.
04:27And that work is an ongoing effort, and it begins by tending to the health of young New Yorkers.
04:32And I'm so proud to be here at Woodhull, to be here alongside the incredible hospital executives and doctors and nurses and the elected officials who are coming together today to celebrate this moment where we are finally meeting the needs of a number of young people across not just Brooklyn,
04:48but also Queens.
04:49And we are speaking about the health of young New Yorkers who are often reluctant to seek care or who don't have the health resources specifically tailored to their needs.
04:59And we know that as New Yorkers transition into adulthood, their lives, their priorities, they change.
05:05Some of them move out of the home that they grew up in.
05:07Some of them no longer interact with the parents who would make the appointments for them for these kinds of things.
05:12And teens age out of pediatric care, and their health care needs evolve.
05:17And yet we know that those kinds of changes and the lack of that health care access, they come with negative health outcomes for young people, the future of our city.
05:28We see data that shows that about 90% of young people stop seeing their mental health care provider after they turn 21.
05:37And what we want to do is to make it easier for those 21-year-olds, for those young people at large, to access the behavioral care that they need.
05:46So we are here today to announce the opening of two new clinics at NYC Health and Hospitals in Queens and right here in Woodhull, Brooklyn, specifically aimed at supporting New Yorkers between the ages of 16 and 25.
06:00These clinics will be supported by $4 million from MetroPlus Health, and the services they deliver will be nothing short of comprehensive.
06:07We are speaking about New Yorkers who will be able to visit these clinics and not only receive mental health and behavioral health care, but also reproductive care, vocational support, and social support services.
06:18We are talking about consistent care, because that's what's going to be at the heart of these clinics.
06:23Teens will begin working with a dedicated team when they are 16 years old, and they will remain connected to that team until they are 25.
06:30We want these clinics to feel like a space that young people can turn to when they're hurt, when they're isolated, when they're alone, when they feel as if their struggles are only their own, when in fact we know that those are struggles that should concern all of us across the city.
06:45Especially when young people need help, but they don't know where to turn.
06:50So when they walk in, they will be greeted by a multidisciplinary treatment team that includes a social worker, a psychiatrist, a nurse, a youth peer, and a family advocate.
06:59We will measure the success of these clinics through some clear metrics.
07:04The percentage of young people who remain engaged in care as they enter adulthood, the number of emergency room visits that we reduce, and the long-term health outcomes that we improve.
07:15Most of all, we will measure success when thousands of New Yorkers each year, in addition to the ones we have, find that their transition into adulthood is a smoother one rather than a strained one.
07:26And when young people can build the careers that they have dreamed of, and start the family that they've long imagined in the city that raised them.
07:34We want New Yorkers from the ages of 16 to 25 and beyond to see this as a city where they can plant lasting roots in.
07:43A city where they can chase the dreams that they have long had, not a place that they have to leave in order to fulfill those same dreams.
07:49They deserve a city that they can afford, rent that doesn't break the bank, and health care that is genuinely supportive as they enter into adulthood.
07:57And that is what this administration is working towards, and what we are delivering together.
08:02Again, this is a clinic for New Yorkers from the ages of 16 to 25 experiencing a mental health issue.
08:08And anyone in this age bracket can contact NYC Health and Hospitals for an appointment at 1-844-NYC-4NYC.
08:17Thank you all so much.
08:18And now our Deputy Mayor, Helena Tejada.
08:26Buenos dias, everyone.
08:28Buenos dias.
08:29I love Brooklyn.
08:30All this energy.
08:31I really want to thank you, Mayor, and thank you, Woodhull Hospital and our beloved CEO here, Sandra, for having us here today on this special moment for our teenagers.
08:41As many of you recall, teenage years are not the funnest.
08:45And having teenagers myself understanding this hard moment in their lives where they're dealing with puberty, graduation, dating, figuring out college, a job, they have plenty to worry about.
08:57One thing they should not be worried about is about their physician and their health care.
09:01And that's what this clinic is going to do today.
09:05One of the major things that we're really thrilled about is working with the amazing team here at Health and Hospitals and also with MetroPlus and providing these clinics for our teenagers where they can get a full holistic services from getting their physical to sometimes just talking to someone, but in an environment that is made and created for them.
09:22So I'm really grateful for the leadership at MetroPlus for supporting this vital program and to the wonderful team at Health and Hospitals here at Woodhull and at the corporate office for always being innovative and thinking how to deliver amazing care every day.
09:37Now that we're here to help our young people for the right things that matter and getting them healthy physically and mentally so they can live the healthiest lives they can live, but more importantly, live in the city that they want to live in.
09:50That's why I'm so excited to be here, building a healthier city, a healthier generation with our amazing partners.
09:57This announcement gets to the heart of the work of our administration and the work that the mayor is committed to, treating every New Yorker, even our young ones, with dignity and the respect that they deserve, ensuring that we are addressing every issue with the root cause, addressing their behavior, emotional health, not just only in emergencies.
10:17And at the end of the day, we're lifting up the tremendous, amazing public servants that we have here in our beloved New York.
10:26And I'm so happy to be here with you.
10:28And now I get the amazing pleasure to introduce some of the minds behind this amazing program.
10:34And one of the public servants that we have here in New York City, our amazing Dr. Amad Fatan.
10:39Thank you, Mr. Mayor and Deputy Mayor, for your leadership and for your support.
10:50My name is Omar Fatal.
10:52I'm a psychiatrist and assistant chief of behavioral health here at NYC Health and Hospitals.
10:56We are the city's largest provider of behavioral services, providing 60 percent of the care for mental health and substance use.
11:03And this translates to us seeing more than 80,000 New Yorkers every year.
11:09Out of those, almost 8,000 are adolescents.
11:12We do this through our full continuum of services, whether it's crisis services, emergency, inpatient, outpatient programs, in-community programs, and school-based clinics.
11:22Our mission is to serve all New Yorkers without exception.
11:25And this includes all New Yorkers with all age groups.
11:28As the mayor mentioned, we know that this specific age group between 15, 16, and 25 is a very vulnerable group for many reasons.
11:36If people already have mental health condition, this is a time where they age out of foster care.
11:41They leave their parents' homes.
11:43They can graduate from college.
11:45This is a time of uncertainty.
11:46They might fall off their parents' insurance.
11:48And unfortunately, we see a lot of these people fall off care and fall between the cracks.
11:53And if they don't already have a mental health condition, this period is also very critical
11:56because a lot of mental health conditions actually start during this age range.
12:01So we're very proud to be able to bring the service, to be able to deliver those services to this specific population
12:07in a way that's effective and in a way that actually works for them.
12:11Here in that space, we were going to be delivering the care, and you can already see how creative and innovative this program is.
12:19We're very grateful for our partners at MetroPlus Health for making this possible financially
12:24to be able to have this program here at Woodhull Hospital and at Queen's Hospital.
12:28And I want to thank the Woodhull leadership and specifically the behavioral team under the leadership of Dr. Raj Bivora
12:34for working so hard to make this idea into a reality.
12:46I'm so proud to be part of an organization and a city that delivers on the commitment to equity and excellence every single day.
12:55And now I'm going to turn it to Dr. Shah.
13:01Thank you, Omar.
13:02Good morning, everyone.
13:05Mayor Mamdani, colleagues and guests, it's truly an honor for MetroPlus to join our partners at New York City Health and Hospitals today,
13:14especially Sandra Snead and an incredible team at Woodhull and Queens.
13:20I also want to thank you, Mr. Mayor, for your indefatigable leadership when it comes to mental health services and care in New York
13:28and your support today to strengthen youth mental health services across New York City.
13:34Today's celebration, it is a celebration, reflects the very best of our city's public health system
13:41and the impact we can achieve when we work as one.
13:45As part of a single integrated system, MetroPlus Health and New York City Health and Hospitals
13:51are uniquely positioned to develop initiatives just like this one,
13:57initiatives that close gaps in care and improve outcomes for our young people.
14:01MetroPlus is especially proud to support this innovative model of care for transition-age youth with ongoing mental health needs.
14:11This program, as has been said by Omar, is urgently needed to help young people navigate a particularly vulnerable period,
14:19one where too many, unfortunately, drop out of care.
14:22In this transition period, young people can lose access to their trusted providers, their familiar clinics and support networks,
14:32just as life is becoming more complex and ostensibly independence increases.
14:38And when continuity of care breaks down, young people unfortunately fall through the cracks.
14:46Emergency room visits rise.
14:49Long-term health outcomes worsen.
14:51And families are then left struggling to fill the gaps on their own.
14:57So to address help and address these challenges, MetroPlus Health has committed $4 million, $2 million annually,
15:06to support the new Elevate You clinics, the space you're in today.
15:10These clinics will provide ongoing and consistent mental health care for youths age 16 to 25,
15:22while also addressing physical and reproductive health needs and supporting educational, social, and vocational goals.
15:29Our investment in Elevate You reflects a clear commitment.
15:34Supporting young people today builds a healthier and more equitable city tomorrow.
15:41So today marks an important step towards that goal, and we are very, very proud to take it together.
15:47And in doing so, it elevates all of us.
15:57Thank you so much.
15:58And now I'd like to invite my colleague, Councilmember Lynn Shulman.
16:01I'm very, I'm really glad to be here for a couple of different reasons.
16:09One is that we have these clinics that are amazing, but the other is this is my home, my second home.
16:16I worked at Woodhull for 10 years in the leadership of the hospital.
16:19And during that time, I witnessed a lot of, I worked with a lot of patients.
16:26I worked with the staff on these particular issues, and I worked with a lot of the youth who, you know,
16:33I used to talk to the pediatric doctors and say, what are we going to do when they age out?
16:36So now we have these clinics, which is so totally amazing, one of which will be in Queens,
16:40which I'm very happy about because I represent part of Queens.
16:43But I also, it's so important to have comprehensive health care, particularly for youth.
16:49And the mental health piece is so important, particularly after COVID.
16:53And these Elevate U clinics are going to be totally amazing.
16:58And I'm so glad that we have one here.
17:01I also want to say that before the holidays, I met with the mayor.
17:06And the mayor told me how important health care was to him.
17:09So as chair of the New York City Council Committee on Health, I'm so glad and excited to have a partner
17:16on the other side of City Hall who will work with me to make sure that New Yorkers have truly access
17:23to truly affordable, world-class health care.
17:26And he has done so much in the time that he's been in office.
17:29One, other than this, he resurrected the program at Jacoby, the Just Home.
17:37Sorry, I blanked out there for a second there.
17:39The Just Home, which I voted on as a member of the City Council, and I supported.
17:44And that is to make sure that people who are incarcerated who have severe illnesses have
17:49a place where they can get adequate and safe health care.
17:53So I'm very happy about that.
17:54And then this.
17:55So you can just imagine what the next few years are going to be.
17:58And I'm very excited about having you as a partner.
18:01So thank you, Mr. Mayor.
18:07Good morning.
18:08Today, I'm honored and delighted as a registered nurse to see my mayor understand without help,
18:19with nothing.
18:20With your help, with everything.
18:22So as a nurse and chair of the City Council Hospital Committee, I cannot overstate how
18:30important this moment is.
18:32And to all the leadership here, some of y'all have been working with you, Elmhurst, you
18:37left my hospital, and my sister here.
18:41I love you guys.
18:42The leadership here is amazing because if you understand what health is about, there's a
18:48lot of changes you can make in your life.
18:51When we say whole, holistic.
18:54Nurses, we talk about holistic all the time.
18:56Some folks take it lightly.
18:58But holistic means from your head to your toe.
19:02Everything about you.
19:03From your health, mental health, physical health, your food, everything.
19:10So once you start addressing it in a comprehensive way, holistic way, then you have treating human
19:17being the way you're supposed to.
19:19So Mayor, I don't have no worry about you because you've been talking about how you can make
19:25people whole.
19:26So I want to say thank you.
19:27This two new youth clinics meant faster access to emergency care, stronger preventive services,
19:37and real support for families when they need it the most.
19:42Too often, young people in our communities face barriers to care.
19:47We know that.
19:48We heard the statistic.
19:5090% of our youth after the age of 21 is not seeing their mental health provider.
19:56That's a problem.
19:58And we're wondering what's going on in our street, safe street, all those things.
20:03It has to be, I mean, it has to be we're taking care of our health.
20:10Today, I want to say again, thank you, Mayor.
20:13I'm very proud to stand with you.
20:16It is about time for us to put our children first.
20:20If we're not addressing their needs, how we expect them to excel.
20:25It's a problem.
20:26So, Mr. Mayor, I don't want to take too long, but Metro Healthcare, I'm in plus, I'm in
20:32Metro, Metro, Metro Plus Healthcare.
20:36I have to get it correct.
20:38I have so many of them.
20:39And you have been a great friend in my past life for DME.
20:44Thank you for your commitment.
20:46Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
20:47We are going places when we start addressing our children, I mean, needs and healthcare.
20:54Mental health is a real problem in our city.
20:57So, thank you.
20:57God bless you.
20:58Well, good morning.
21:04I'm Councilman Althea Stevens from the great borough of the Bronx.
21:09That's right.
21:10I got my passport stamped to be here today.
21:11I literally walked in.
21:14It was like up there in Brooklyn.
21:15I'm like, I'm here.
21:16But anything for the kids.
21:17So, if you know me, you know that I will show up for our young people.
21:19And today's a great day.
21:21I'm truly honored to stand here with our mayor, the incredible leaders of New York City Health
21:26and Hospitals, and the amazing administrative staff of Woodhull Hospital.
21:30Thank you for welcoming us for a life-saving work that you're doing every single day in our communities.
21:37Today's announcement is important to our city because investments like this is what true public safety looks like.
21:44I've been yelling about this, saying that we have to invest in our young people's mental health
21:49because this is the foundation for what they need.
21:52When we invest in young people's mental health, wellness, and stability,
21:55we are preventing crisis before they happen and really affect our city.
22:00As chair of the Children's Committee on Children and Youth,
22:04and as someone who spent years working in the nonprofit sector,
22:08I understand the importance of holistic approach to solving issues for our young people,
22:13especially those who often are ignored.
22:16Young people often between the ages of 16 and 25 are navigating some of the most critical transitions of their lives,
22:22and too many of them fall through the cracks at those age because of pediatric care is running out.
22:28That's why the Snoop Clinic in Woodhull and New York City Health and Hospitals here in Queens are so,
22:34I mean, here and in Queens, Brooklyn and Queens, don't worry, I'm sure we're going to get one in the Bronx,
22:39are very important.
22:43That's right.
22:44Anytime you give us something, we always want more.
22:46By providing primary health care, behavioral health services, reproductive care, vocational supports, and social services,
22:54all in one place through consistent care teams,
22:57we are meeting young people where they are and addressing the full picture of their needs.
23:01This is how we build equality in health care.
23:04This is how we reduce emergency room visits, long improvement outcomes,
23:09and ensure that young people are here and they are surviving and thriving.
23:13Thank you all for being here and making this possible.
23:16I look forward to continuing working together and ensuring the health, mental health of all of our young people.
23:25Good morning, everyone.
23:27I'm New York City Councilmember Chiyose,
23:29and I have the great honor of representing this district, Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights in the City Council.
23:34So welcome back to Bed-Stuy, Mr. Mayor.
23:38I know you're no stranger to this neighborhood.
23:39But not too long ago, I actually turned 27 years old,
23:42and I had a colleague just remind me that I no longer get to join this program now.
23:48And I say that to say because oftentimes in government,
23:52when we talk about health care for youth,
23:55it mainly pertains to preteens or young children.
23:59So to have this clinic for young people ages 16 to 25 is so essential because this health care,
24:08this care that this entire clinic will be providing is needed within this community and across the city as a whole.
24:15New York City Health and Hospitals, as many of you know,
24:17is the largest municipal health system in the United States.
24:21And that means what we do here sets a standard for the rest of the country.
24:25And it means we have a responsibility to make sure that young people are not left behind as their health care needs to change.
24:32Across the city, the cost of health care is forcing working families into impossible choices.
24:37Too many New Yorkers are forced to delay a doctor's visit,
24:40avoid the emergency room, or stretch their medication just to get by.
24:44That is unacceptable in a city as wealthy as this one.
24:48Health and Hospitals steps in to make care accessible and affordable.
24:52Young people deserve this type of consistent, reliable care.
24:57And these new youth clinics at Woodhull make that possible.
25:00This moment builds on the investments my office has already made in Woodhull.
25:04Two years ago, we secured nearly $2 million for a new emergency department CT scanner.
25:10And that investment strengthened Woodhull's ability to care for Bed-Stuy's residents in the moments that matter most.
25:16This is a hospital that needs a lot of love and attention.
25:18So I applaud the mayor. I applaud every single partner for making this possible.
25:23We need millions and millions and millions of more dollars for Woodhull to make it state-of-the-art.
25:27So looking forward to another announcement in the future.
25:31Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I've got to bring that one down a little bit for me here.
25:41So I represent across the street on the other side of Flushing Avenue,
25:45and Councilmember Gutierrez is the other side of Broadway.
25:47So together with Councilmember Rosé, we all do our best to look out for Woodhull.
25:50And it's great to be with the mayor, our deputy mayor, the great team at Woodhull, President Sneed,
25:54Dr. McDonald, you know, great things are happening here.
25:58A Gotham Health state-of-the-art clinic opened up across the street just a couple years ago
26:03that is providing excellent primary care, excellent secondary care to really meet the health needs of New Yorkers.
26:10My borough president helped put together $20 million to build a brand new birthing suite
26:16that is opening here at Woodhull next year to ensure that we finally address the disgusting,
26:23the indefensible disparities in maternal mortality.
26:26And with this incredible new clinic to ensure that our young adults are accessing the mental health care that they need,
26:34Woodhull is really doing an amazing job.
26:37And we need to invest more in our public hospitals than ever.
26:40I know our deputy mayor gets it as a proud person who's worked in our public hospital system.
26:47But we're losing billions of dollars in Medicaid funding from Washington.
26:51Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers are losing their health care this year.
26:55And when that happens, New Yorkers come to our public hospital system to get the care that they need.
27:03Woodhull is the place that always has its door opened, whether you have insurance or you don't,
27:08whether you have money or you don't.
27:09Woodhull is going to provide you with the care that you need and deserve.
27:12And so now more than ever, we need to make real investments in Woodhull.
27:17We need to ensure that H&H has the resources that it needs to provide excellent care to every New Yorker.
27:24And I have to say, every day I am proud to be a MetroPlus health care member.
27:29But especially today, this is the public option in New York City.
27:34It's already available here in the five boroughs for every New Yorker.
27:37And we should all be signing up to support MetroPlus because it brings resources into health and hospitals.
27:42It supports our public institutions.
27:45And MetroCards don't exist anymore.
27:47It's about the MetroPlus.
27:48This is what it's about.
27:50Sign up for MetroPlus.
27:51Thank you all.
27:52Good morning, everybody.
28:00Buenos dias.
28:02State Senator Jabari Brisport, I represent Brooklyn, excuse me, Bed-Stuy in the State Senate.
28:07I feel like I represent Brooklyn.
28:08I'm Brooklyn all day, every day.
28:10But I want to thank the mayor's office, Woodhull, MetroPlus for this incredible partnership today.
28:18You know, it's often said that the mark of a great society is when old men plant trees in which whose shade they know they will never lie in.
28:27And I know our mayor is not that old, but I know he recognizes that investing in our youth is one of the best things, the most important things that can be done with government.
28:37And the partnership between government, the hospital, MetroPlus today will indeed save lives.
28:43I'm not just the chair of the Committee on Children and Families in the State Senate.
28:48I also was a public school teacher before I was a state senator.
28:52And I remember one of the reasons for running for office was seeing how under-resourced my school was.
28:58We had three counselors for about 1,400 youth.
29:01And I would remember whenever I tried to send a child who needed someone to talk to over to the counselor, they would say they'll do their best, but they have a line out the door.
29:11Because our youth need someone to talk to.
29:14And thanks to this partnership, they're going to have someone here at Woodhull.
29:17And I would be remiss without acknowledging some of the context in our local community.
29:23You know, a few days ago, we lost another youth to gun violence, Elquan Tillman.
29:28There'll be a shooting response this evening at 5 p.m.
29:31But again, thank you to the partnership that's being started here today, continued here today.
29:36We can say not one more youth lost to gun violence.
29:39So thank you again to the mayor, to Woodhull, and to MetroPlus.
29:43I'm very excited that this is coming, and I'm looking forward to the future of our community.
29:55Good morning, everyone.
29:57Good morning, family, I should say.
29:58And welcome home for so many of you that are here today.
30:02Before I give my brief remarks, I really just want to give a call to action to each and everyone who is sitting in these seats and those of you who work in this building.
30:11When you leave this press conference today, when you leave the ribbon cutting, I want you to walk slowly out of the door.
30:18I want you to pay attention from everybody, from the porter to the president.
30:22And I want you to look at the attention that these wonderful public servants have set today, not only for this clinic, but for every single corridor in this institution.
30:34When you look outside or you look from the outside, you can't really see the heart of the people inside this building.
30:42What you see is a pretty scary edifice.
30:46So, you know, maybe we could get some money for some good paint outside to get people here.
30:51Clean the windows up a bit.
30:52I say that because I say that because hospitals can be very, very daunting places for our young people, for our immigrant families.
31:03And we want to make sure that they understand the warmth that exists in this building, that when you come into Woodhull, you will be cared for.
31:11So today we are not just cutting a ribbon.
31:14We are opening access.
31:16This transition youth behavioral health clinic is a major milestone because the ages between adolescence and adulthood are some of the most vulnerable years of life.
31:27And too many young people fall through the cracks during that transition, as you've heard.
31:32The clinic here sends a different message.
31:35We see you.
31:36We hear you.
31:37And you don't have to carry it alone.
31:39In central Brooklyn, our young people are navigating real pressures, stress, traumas.
31:46Some due to gun violence, anxiety, grief, housing insecurity, and community violence.
31:52And they deserve support that is timely, that is culturally competent and responsive and rooted in dignity.
31:59As your assembly member, I am committed to fighting for investments in mental health and ensuring that the access remains open to everyone who is in need.
32:11This clinic is something that we have dreamed of, and we are happy to have so much support from the entire city council almost, certainly MetroHealth Plus and others.
32:27I want to just say congratulations to each of you for setting the intention, for all of you for coming together, banding today, to our leadership.
32:36She has joined us and hit the ground running.
32:39The partnerships.
32:42The leadership who are sitting here.
32:45Those of you, Jessica, who make sure that we are here supporting all the efforts.
32:49And I just want to also say that what we do here at Woodhull doesn't remain inside.
32:56This is a community-centered lifeline.
32:59It is a safety net for so many people.
33:01And we are outside doing the work together.
33:03So thank you all for being here to witness this today.
33:06And let's go cut this ribbon.
33:08Thank you, Mayor, for coming here today.
33:13Good morning.
33:15Good morning.
33:16So, Mr. Mayor, this is my hospital.
33:21And, you know, the Mets have Mr. Met.
33:23Woodhull has Mr. Woodhull, which is me.
33:25I've been asking President Sneed to add me to the payroll for about 12 years, and she's denied every request.
33:30But I'm so happy to be here because what we're talking about here is public safety.
33:37This is what we've been talking about for so long.
33:40Everyone wants to add more cops and put our young people in jail.
33:44That's not how we solve for public safety.
33:46The way we solve for it is ensuring that our young people get the help that they deserve and need.
33:50And our hospitals shouldn't just be places where people go for emergencies.
33:54They should go for places where they can be safe, can be helped, and can be nurtured to be the young, the great young people that New York City expects them to be.
34:03It took Mayor Mamdani to recognize that for us to see what we're seeing today.
34:0922 days is what it took Mayor Mamdani to come to Woodhull Hospital.
34:1422 days.
34:15He never says he's too busy to be here, to show up for us.
34:26I want to end with Dr. Katz.
34:28It's deeply important.
34:29He said when there was a budget recession that we shouldn't be in an austerity position for our hospitals.
34:35We should be doing more.
34:37We need podiatrists.
34:38We need doctors, pediatricians.
34:41We need eye doctors.
34:42We need more in our hospitals so people could see that as a central location for care and didn't start making budget cuts.
34:48He invested in our hospitals and helped save them.
34:50And what we're seeing here is a continuation of using our hospitals as a primary location to continue to help and save our people.
34:58So I want to say thank you.
34:59I'm going to say it in Spanish very quickly for Spanish media.
35:01I'm going to translate a little bit for what the Mayor said.
35:04He started with, soy el alcalde de Mamdani y el condado de Brooklyn es mi favorito condado en la ciudad de Nueva York.
35:14I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it.
35:22No, pero en serio, en serio.
35:23Hoy lo que estamos viendo es que nuestro alcalde está invirtiendo en nuestra juventud.
35:33De 16 a 25 años, ahora nuestra juventud va a poder recibir lo necesario para su salud mental aquí mismo en Warhol Hasbro y en Queens Hasbro.
35:42Son esfuerzos que nosotros estamos esperando para ayudar a nuestra juventud y buscar manera de apoyarlo en vez de mandarlo a la cárcel o en otro problema.
35:51Eso se está solucionando aquí en este hospital debajo del liderazgo de nuestro alcalde.
35:57Thank you so much.
35:57We have time for a few questions.
36:05We'll start with on-topic questions.
36:07Mariela, are you around?
36:09Can I see everybody?
36:10Okay, let's start right here.
36:13Are you seeing me?
36:14Yes.
36:14You mentioned the word holistic approach to the young people.
36:18By the way, congratulations.
36:20I think this is an amazing initiative.
36:21This is my home hospital, so I'm excited about it.
36:25What percentage of holistic is going to be added to the young people?
36:30Are we talking about natural approaches?
36:33Food, which we know can also help with the balancing and the mental wellness.
36:37Anyone who wants to answer that question.
36:39I can just speak to it broadly and then I'll invite the experts on the exact subject matter.
36:45I can tell you that what makes me so excited and I think so many of the other elected officials who are here today is that this will be a youth clinic where young people can come to and they don't just receive social services assistance.
36:59They don't just receive mental health assistance.
37:01They also receive vocational assistance.
37:03They also receive the kind of assistance that oftentimes they're actually afraid to even ask for.
37:09They don't even know where to turn to.
37:11And what this is about is creating a place where a young person can go when they have a question and they don't know who has the answer.
37:19This will be that first step.
37:21Yeah, exactly.
37:22As the mayor mentioned, holistic.
37:23In that sense, you see a fridge also behind you and a kitchenette.
37:26So definitely it does include the nutrition, but it also includes all these aspects of someone's life, vocational.
37:31During that time, people might be looking for a job.
37:34They might be graduating from college, helping them with that, but also creating that sense of community.
37:38We know that community is a big factor, especially for this age group.
37:41You see a couch behind you where people can hang out, play games on this screen.
37:46So it's basically approaching every aspect of their lives.
37:49Yeah, Mariela in the back.
37:50Mr. Mayor, hi.
37:51For any mass univision, there's a huge group of transgender Hispanic youth who feel outcasted more than ever now in this difficult times.
38:04Is there going to be a program particularly dear to them with this new initiative?
38:10This is going to be an initiative for each and every young person across the city.
38:14And we want to make clear that when we stand up for New Yorkers, that also means we stand up for trans New Yorkers.
38:18This is a city which our...
38:24I am the mayor for every single person who calls the city home.
38:28And for too long, there has been a sense in this city that if you don't conform to the exact sets that people in power will tell you,
38:34that you don't have a champion of yours in the corridors of power.
38:37Those days are now over.
38:39We are going to stand up for every single New Yorker.
38:41That includes trans New Yorkers.
38:42And today, the importance of this, it's also because young people are often the ones who are thought of the least in places where we find power.
38:53You know, when we go through City Hall, we think about this age group, 16 to 25.
38:58We often think about them and talk about them only in terms of the rate at which they vote.
39:02And what we've actually found recently is that if you give them a vision that shows them their place in it, they too will vote.
39:07But more important than that, however, is that we have to prove to them that we care about them, that we want them to succeed in this city,
39:15and that their struggles are not just theirs to bear alone.
39:18And I can tell you that moment when you stop being a child and you start being an adult, it feels as if you are the only one who is navigating that.
39:26There's no one else to turn to.
39:27And I know that for many New Yorkers, they might not be able to find that support in their own family.
39:31And so what we want to show them is that this city can also be a part of that same family.
39:37And Jay, go ahead.
39:38It's an off topic.
39:39Yeah, on the side.
39:39Okay, so I wonder whether you're nervous at all about the storm.
39:44And I think you probably know the history.
39:46You don't have to go back to John Lindsay and the Lizard of 69.
39:50Not that I covered that.
39:53Your last three predecessors faced challenging storms.
39:56They made some mistakes and made headlines.
39:58So are you feeling the weight of history?
40:01I think what I'm thinking more about is how can I do every single thing in my power to make this as seamless of an experience for New Yorkers as possible.
40:14And I think it is only right that New Yorkers judge their leaders by their ability to deliver for them in the most day-to-day aspects of their life.
40:23Because for so much of what we talk about in politics, what I'll find from New Yorkers is the questions come back to the things that they experience over a 24-hour period.
40:32And over the course of this snowstorm, what they want to know is, is there going to be a mayor that's going to tell them that it's coming?
40:38Is there going to be a DSNY that is prepared to put the salt across this whole city?
40:42Is there going to be a plan in place, whether it's 3 inches or 12 inches or however many, that none of us are surprised?
40:49And I think that's what they're going to see in our administration, is we take this seriously because it has serious consequences for New Yorkers' lives.
40:57It can mean the inconvenience and knowing that it might be a more slippery walk that you're going to take.
41:02It can also mean a real fear to your safety if you do not know that this is coming and you still have to take the kind of trip that you would have otherwise planned for.
41:10And so what we are asking of New Yorkers is to take every precaution they can in their own life, and what we will deliver to them is a city government that is going to meet them there and doing everything in our power to make this a weekend that they will not have to remember any months from now.
41:24Yeah, we've got time for a few more. Andrew, then Kelly.
41:26Mayor, you know yesterday I asked you about the snow day possibility.
41:29What I wanted to ask you is, do you agree with the current mayoral position, which is that any weather-related closure should lead to virtual education that day?
41:39Or do you disagree with what was in Adams' administration policy and in de Blasio' administration policy that we should have virtual school?
41:47You know, I will tell you, as of now, we have not yet made a decision as to what Monday will be.
41:53And we are going through every different aspect of the impact of a possible decision.
41:59As I said earlier, parents feel one way about this. Students feel very differently about this.
42:04What I want to make sure, however, is that we are making a decision that does not have a massive impact on people's day-to-day lives, not only this coming next few days, but also for the school year in its entirety.
42:16Those are the conversations we're having right now with our chancellor, with our internal team as well.
42:20Hi, Mr. Mayor.
42:21I wanted to ask you, you know, Mahmoud Khalil has a deportation order to Algeria.
42:26I'm wondering, are you doing any back-channeling with the president on his case to get that changed?
42:32And then I noticed the borough president is here for the first time since he's been endorsed by Nidia Velazquez.
42:39And the question for both of you, you know, you both standing here united, what does this mean for the Democratic Party here in New York
42:45that seems to be schisming and splitting between progressives and democratic socialists?
42:50So I will go with your first question, then I'll go to your second question.
42:54Mahmoud Khalil is a New Yorker.
42:57He should remain in New York City.
42:59We have seen this attack on him as part of a larger attack on the freedom of speech that is especially pronounced when it comes to the use of that speech to stand up for Palestinian human rights.
43:12And I will make that clear to everyone, and I have said it time and again, that he deserves to stay in the city.
43:18He deserves to be in the city just like any other New Yorker.
43:22And I can tell you that too often on your second question,
43:28New Yorkers are asking themselves, what does this actually mean for me when it comes to politics?
43:34You know, the borough president is running for Congress.
43:38He's a friend of mine.
43:39I've endorsed another candidate for that seat.
43:41Incredibly excited about her, Assemblymember Claire Valdez.
43:43All of those things can be true, and we can still be working together to deliver for the young people of New York City.
43:49And that's what we have to show, is that we can keep moving this agenda forward.
43:53We can keep moving this vision forward so that New Yorkers don't ask themselves,
43:56what good or what use is politics when it doesn't seem to have any impact on my day-to-day life?
44:02Yeah.
44:03Yeah.
44:04Okay, go ahead, Miles.
44:06I just, you know, we came up during my boss's administration when we did not have snow days.
44:13Is it weighing on you as a former New York City school student to make a decision on snow days?
44:23Look, I can tell you as a guy who grew up in New York City, you know,
44:30many of my favorite memories were packing that trash can at the bottom of the hill.
44:35And actually, that's one of the first times I went to a hospital in New York City is when we hit the jump.
44:41I was supposed to be on the back.
44:43We hit the jump so well that I ended up being in the front.
44:46And then my friend landed on my head.
44:48And I got a concussion and I went to the hospital.
44:51And I turned out mostly okay.
44:54And I tell you that to say that snow is also an incredible amount of fun for so many young people across the city.
45:00We also want to make a decision that we know is the right decision to make,
45:04not just in the immediate, but also in the medium and the long term, and is part of a larger policy.
45:08So it doesn't weigh on me too much, though I don't begrudge anyone for their strong feelings either way.
45:14Thank you guys.
45:15We're going to do the ribbon cutting now.
45:17So we're going to just bring this in here.
45:21Subscribe to One India and never miss an update.
45:26Download the One India app now.
45:27One India.
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