01M 0028-2026Approved
City Council · Thursday, January 15, 2026
The one where the Council learns one of its own employees was detained by ICE — and races to file habeas
Contents & search
items
48
other
20
approved
7
land-use items
16
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What was meant to be the new term's celebratory organizational meeting turned somber when Speaker Julie Menin revealed that Rafael, a Council employee with full legal authorization to work, had been detained by ICE at the Bethpage facility. Menin said she reached out to NILAG and the New York Immigration Coalition, an emergency habeas petition was filed immediately, and the Council's stated goal is his return. The rest of the meeting installed the new leadership team , Dr. Nantasha Williams as deputy speaker, Miguelina as the first woman chief of staff in Council history , adopted the full sla
From the room
“New York City has made progress on the issue of safety with shooting incident at the lowest levels in recorded history.”
— Oswald J. Feliz
“I'm committed to delivering universal child care, not with promises, but with the persistence New York City families deserve”
— Jennifer Gutiérrez
“I reached out to NILAG and the New York Immigration Coalition in order to ensure that Rafael had proper legal representation.”
— Julie Menin
“here we are as a city council trying to find a government employee, and we actually have no way of contacting a government agency.”
— Julie Menin
01
The decisions
302M 0035-2026C 260026 ZSKSpecial PermitApproved
Council Member Menin
with 2 related matters · M 0034-2026 · M 0036-2026
03Res 0001-2026Approved
Resolution making certain amendments the Rules of the Council in relation to the Standing Committees, Sub-Committee, and Special Committees of the Council.
Also in the record
Records not linked to a specific agenda item
Citations & precedent
J-51 · Pierina Ana Sanchez
Procedure
- Majority Leader Shaun Abreu opens the stated meeting of January 15, 2026 and invites the pledge of allegiance. — Shaun Abreu
- Roll call of council members is taken to establish quorum (named attendance is canonical Legistar data). — Shaun Abreu
- Majority Leader Abreu introduces the invocation to be delivered by Dr. Debbie Almanca of the Islamic Mission of America (143 State Street, Brooklyn). — Shaun Abreu
- Messages and papers from the mayor — Shaun Abreu
+10 more procedural steps
02
The people
On the dais · 51
Alexa AvilésAlthea V. StevensAmanda C. FaríasCarmen N. De La RosaChi A. OsséChris BanksChristopher MarteCrystal HudsonDarlene MealyDavid M. CarrElsie EncarnaciónEric DinowitzErik D. BottcherFarah N. LouisFrank MoranoGale A. BrewerHarvey D. EpsteinInna VernikovJames F. GennaroJennifer GutiérrezJoann Ariola Julie MeninJulie WonJustin E. SanchezKamillah HanksKayla Santosuosso Kevin C. RileyLincoln RestlerLinda LeeLynn C. SchulmanMercedes NarcisseNantasha M. WilliamsOswald J. FelizPhil Wong Pierina Ana SanchezRita C. JosephSandra UngSandy NurseSelvena N. Brooks-PowersShahana K. HanifShanel Thomas-Henry Shaun AbreuShekar KrishnanShirley AldebolSimcha FelderSusan ZhuangTiffany L. CabánTy HankersonVickie PaladinoVirginia Maloney Yusef Salaam
Practitioners & applicants
Dr. Debbie Almanca · Shahana K. Hanif · James F. Gennaro · Ty Hankerson · Virginia Maloney · Vickie Paladino · Justin E. Sanchez · Pierina Ana Sanchez · Lynn C. Schulman · Nantasha M. Williams · +4 more
03
The intelligence
Every parcel, owner, and applicant in this meeting, cross-referenced against Zonable’s NYC ownership, enforcement & legislative graph — the record behind the record.
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Owner portfolios, open OATH/ECB violations, 311 & DOB permits across every parcel discussed, developer track records, and an “ask this meeting” chat.
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