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Michael Blake: “You have to close Rikers.”

Featuring: Michael Blake, Democratic | Former Candidate, U.S. House New York, District 15

Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability

Published May 13, 2025 | Video Starts at 07:33

About 180,000 who did not have a lawyer during these hearings. And we have to make it very clear that our schools and other centers are designated as safe havens. What about Rikers? You have to close Rikers. Should ICE be on Rikers? Absolutely not. It's unacceptable in every regard. And we need to bring down the population at Rikers, which we can do. (07:33–07:35)

CLAIM

Asserts that Rikers Island jail should be closed.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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Michael Blake

“NYPD had about $1.4 billion in overtime, not necessarily tied to public safety.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 06:04-06:09
“About 180,000 who did not have a lawyer during these [immigration] hearings.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 07:23-07:23
“Most people at Rikers haven't been actually convicted of anything. They're just waiting there.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 07:41-07:46
“The second largest mental health facility in America is Rikers right now.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 07:47-07:52
“Polls are around name recognition, and that's why we have to focus on what we have to do before June 24th.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 00:44-00:50
“We have to get the guns off the street and we have to make sure that our young kids have better opportunities.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 01:50-01:56
“We need more mental health professionals as well. I've said very clearly we have about a thousand National Guard members. Why not have a…”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 02:18-02:27
“When you're thinking about the threshold, I think we've got to get another 5,000 [NYPD officers], give or take itself.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 02:43-02:48
“Put body cameras on all officers so you have greater accountability.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 03:22-03:26
“We need to have a local median income instead of area median income.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 03:53-03:57
“New York City, we actually voted on having a true cost of living in which Eric Adams has not implemented.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 04:10-04:16
“We need to end credit scores being utilized for rent and mortgage applications.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 04:55-05:01
“You have about $2 billion of unclaimed fees that can be brought back within the city.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 05:09-05:14
“We should have a vacant apartment tax for someone that is not living in New York City as their primary residence.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 06:11-06:17
“ICE is in schools and places of worship and community centers.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 06:59-07:03
“We need to stay as a sanctuary city because it gives us protections for our residents.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 07:04-07:09
“What we can't have happen is that we're wondering if even a US Citizen will be detained because of the Trump policies.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 07:09-07:17
“ICE should not be in our places to disrupt our communities.”
Interview with NYC Mayoral Candidate Michael Blake on Public Safety and Affordability | Uploaded May 13, 2025 | 07:54-07:58