{"id":167598,"date":"2026-03-18T19:58:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T19:58:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/167598\/"},"modified":"2026-03-18T19:58:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T19:58:17","slug":"liberal-former-nyc-mayor-admits-defund-the-police-biden-border-policies-were-mistakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/167598\/","title":{"rendered":"Liberal former NYC mayor admits &#8216;defund the police,&#8217; Biden border policies were mistakes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In a rare moment of bipartisan agreement, former New York City Mayor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/person\/bill-de-blasio\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Bill de Blasio;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Bill de Blasio&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Bill de Blasio<\/a> admitted to Sean Hannity that he disagrees with the Democratic Party on key issues.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">De Blasio gave the blunt assessment on Thursday\u2019s episode of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCSYR09fiGHb3k19uC_hdhlw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:&quot;Hang Out with Sean Hannity&quot;;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;&amp;quot&quot;}\" class=\"link \">&#8220;Hang Out with Sean Hannity&#8221;<\/a> podcast. He also said his party &#8220;rightfully&#8221; deserves the criticism it has faced over the Biden administration\u2019s handling of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/immigration\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:southern border;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;southern border&quot;}\" class=\"link \">southern border<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;In retrospect, the whole concept of \u2018defund the police\u2019 made no sense. It made sense to say, how can we do better?&#8221; de Blasio said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In 2020, de Blasio pledged to cut the New York Police Department\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/new-york-cut-billion-nypd-budget\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:budget by $1 billion;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;budget by $1 billion&quot;}\" class=\"link \">budget by $1 billion<\/a> following citywide protests. The funds were instead shifted to other agencies focused on youth centers and public housing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/hannity-tells-fetterman-i-had-you-all-wrong-candid-public-apology-podcast\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Hannity Tells Sen Fetterman &#039;I Had You All Wrong&#039; In Candid Apology On New Podcast;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Hannity Tells Sen Fetterman &#039;&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Hannity Tells Sen Fetterman &#8216;I Had You All Wrong&#8217; In Candid Apology On New Podcast<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Bill de Blasio speaks to media in New York City.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/44d3eabbce2e066fd3cba7afaae89f14.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks to the media in New York City on Aug. 2, 2019.<\/p>\n<p>(Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The former mayor noted that police leaders told him more should be done to give young people positive alternatives, calling it &#8220;good for safety&#8221; in communities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS\/mvaj7wvj\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Read On The Fox News App;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Read On The Fox News App&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Read On The Fox News App<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Hannity responded with surprise to the admission, saying, &#8220;We\u2019re not disagreeing, right? This is amazing.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;We\u2019re doing good,&#8221; de Blasio said, adding, &#8220;So \u2018defund\u2019 was a mistake. And I understand where it came from, but it was a mistake.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/democrats-dilemma-progressive-push-abolish-ice-sparks-fresh-divide-party\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Democrats\u2019 Dilemma: Progressive Push To &#039;Abolish Ice&#039; Sparks Fresh Divide In Party;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Democrats\u2019 Dilemma&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Democrats\u2019 Dilemma: Progressive Push To &#8216;Abolish Ice&#8217; Sparks Fresh Divide In Party<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">On the border, de Blasio also agreed with Hannity. The former mayor called it &#8220;common ground,&#8221; saying the Biden administration could have handled the surge at the southern border better.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I don\u2019t like what Biden did with the border,&#8221; de Blasio said.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Defund the police protesters\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/e781c023a220b310a51b15a3d1cebe22.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Defund the police activists flood the streets of Brooklyn, New York, in the summer of 2020.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">When pressed on why he never spoke up earlier, he noted that at the time, he didn\u2019t realize the problem was as bad as it was. De Blasio said he reached that conclusion after President Joe Biden moved to tighten border policies later in his presidency.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/cortez-masto-admits-democrats-have-been-weak-immigration-chides-biden-administration-border-security\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Cortez Masto Admits Democrats Have Been &#039;Weak On Immigration,&#039; Chides Biden Administration On Border Security;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Cortez Masto Admits Democrats Have Been &#039;&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Cortez Masto Admits Democrats Have Been &#8216;Weak On Immigration,&#8217; Chides Biden Administration On Border Security<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;When I saw it during Biden\u2019s time, that he was able to reverse course in that final year and tighten up the border \u2014 no, I mean, that\u2019s the irony,&#8221; said de Blasio, who added that something had &#8220;changed&#8221; in the administration.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;We, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/democrats\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:as Democrats;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;as Democrats&quot;}\" class=\"link \">as Democrats<\/a>, rightfully deserve that critique,&#8221; he added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Click Here To Download The Fox News App;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Click Here To Download The Fox News App&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Click Here To Download The Fox News App<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In 2014, de Blasio significantly strengthened New York City\u2019s sanctuary city status. He signed legislation to prohibit the NYPD and Department of Corrections from honoring detainer requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) unless they had a judicial warrant from a federal judge.<\/p>\n<p>Even with a warrant, they would only cooperate if the individual was convicted of a violent crime or serious felony. He also ended ICE\u2019s permanent office at the Rikers Island jail complex.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCSYR09fiGHb3k19uC_hdhlw\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:&quot;Hang Out with Sean Hannity&quot;;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;&amp;quot&quot;}\" class=\"link \">&#8220;Hang Out with Sean Hannity&#8221;<\/a> launched this month on YouTube and Spotify, featuring interviews with Stephen A. Smith, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and NHL star Matthew Tkachuk.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Original article source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/liberal-former-nyc-mayor-admits-defund-police-biden-border-policy-were-mistakes\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Liberal former NYC mayor admits &#039;defund the police,&#039; Biden border policies were mistakes;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Liberal former NYC mayor admits &#039;&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Liberal former NYC mayor admits &#8216;defund the police,&#8217; Biden border policies were mistakes<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In a rare moment of bipartisan agreement, former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio admitted to Sean&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":167599,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[20686,9894,25806,68757,9,24,56,63,65,64,68755,68756],"class_list":["post-167598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york-city","tag-biden","tag-bill-de-blasio","tag-defund-the-police","tag-matthew-tkachuk","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-ny","tag-nyc","tag-nyc-headlines","tag-nyc-news","tag-sean-hannity","tag-southern-border"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=167598"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167598\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/167599"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=167598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=167598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=167598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}