NYC NOW

Immigrants appearing for required check-ins with a private contractor for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Lower Manhattan are being arrested instead. Plus, security camera footage shows Rep. Jerry Nadler's staffer being handcuffed last week by Homeland Security police. Also, modular construction becomes the latest attempt to address New York State's affordability crisis. Meanwhile, multi-family, energy efficient affordable housing could become harder to build in New Jersey under the Trump administration. And finally, New York City’s summer stargazing begins!

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is endorsing Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor. Ocasio-Cortez calls Mamdani the best candidate to energize working-class voters and defeat frontrunner Andrew Cuomo. A new survey shows New Yorkers feel safer than last year, but not as safe as before the pandemic. Plus, WNYC’s Brigid Bergin recaps the first mayoral debate, where all nine Democratic candidates, including former Governor Andrew Cuomo, appeared on stage.

The first Democratic mayoral debate featured sharp interruptions and direct attacks on frontrunner Andrew Cuomo. City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams confronted the former governor for saying he had no personal regrets during his time in office. Meanwhile, the U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon is urging federal authorities to review Columbia University’s accreditation status, accusing it of showing “deliberate indifference” toward Jewish students facing antisemitism. Plus, a new early childhood center is coming to PS 6 in Flatbush. It will include a mix of general and special education seats along with a specialized autism program.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is pushing back against questions about how he's responding to ICE arrests in the city. Plus, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is suing a Trump administration appointee following his arrest at a controversial immigration detention center last month. Also, a lack of local infrastructure and resident resistance are delaying some construction projects for affordable homes in New Jersey. And finally, a new style duplex is replacing traditional, single-family homes in northern New Jersey.

Air quality alerts are in effect today across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, with ozone levels expected to reach unhealthy levels for sensitive groups. Meanwhile, Amtrak is pitching its first-ever direct service from the Northeast Corridor to Long Island. The plan includes stops in Jamaica, Hicksville, and Ronkonkoma. Also, the first Democratic mayoral debate airs Wednesday night, ahead of the June 24th primary.

Immigration advocates and the New York City Council are urging a judge to block federal law enforcement officials from working on Rikers Island. Plus, Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado is running for governor of New York. Also, Council Speaker Adrienne Adams banked $2 million last week in matching funds thanks, in part, to her opponent. Meanwhile, the city’s child welfare agency is seven times more likely to investigate a Black family than a white one according to the agency’s own numbers. And finally, a Harlem neighborhood is the first to have its trash fully containerized and picked up by a fleet of new garbage trucks.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says the FAA has completed critical updates to Newark Airport’s outdated air traffic control systems after last month’s outage. Meanwhile, New York City is backing legal efforts to free Dylan Contreras, a Bronx high school student taken into ICE custody during a routine court appearance. And Congressman Jerry Nadler is calling for a federal investigation after Homeland Security officers handcuffed one of his staffers inside his Manhattan office. WNYC’s Arya Sundaram has the details.

Early voting starts Tuesday in New Jersey’s primary for governor, with six Democrats and five Republicans on the ballot. In New York, transportation officials are calling on Albany to pass a bill requiring speed-limiting tech for drivers with repeated speeding violations. And a new state law goes into effect this week requiring large retailers to adopt workplace violence prevention plans and conduct safety training for employees.

U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler is demanding a Congressional investigation into a dramatic incident last week in which a Nadler staffer was handcuffed by Department of Homeland Security police in the lawmaker's office. Plus, New York state is imposing new rules on companies like Klarna and Afterpay. And finally, young New Yorkers reflect on the police killing of George Floyd and its significance, five years after his death.

Equinox and SoulCycle will pay $600,000 in restitution after Attorney General Letitia James found the companies made it too difficult for members to cancel. She says the high-end gyms violated consumer protection laws. Meanwhile, Newark Liberty Airport is reopening a runway two weeks early after completing repaving work that began in March. And WNYC culture reporter Ryan Kailath shares some fun and free (or cheap) things to do around the city this month.