Former Republican mayoral nominee goes after Mayor Eric Adams for 'single-handedly destroying' NYC
Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa blasted New York City Mayor Eric Adams for "giving illegal aliens everything," reacting to a controversial pilot program to hand out prepaid credit cards to migrant families housed in hotels across the city.
"I’m his No. 1 hater. Join the Curtis Sliwa Haters Club of Eric Adams, who is single-handedly destroying this city by giving illegal aliens everything," Sliwa said Tuesday night on Fox News' "Hannity" from Times Square, right before an alleged shoplifter interrupted his live interview.
"They arrive in our city, imagine, you check in your hotel, you get concierge service, and bam! You get a $1,000 debit card that you can use for the whole month," Sliwa continued. "You get more money than any veteran, any homeless person, any emotionally disturbed person in New York City gets. That’s an absolute outrage."
NEW YORK CITY TO HAND OUT $53 MILLION IN PRE-PAID CREDIT CARDS TO MIGRANT FAMILIES: REPORT
Guardian Angels members subdue suspect while Curtis Sliwa is interviewed by Sean Hannity in Times Square. (Fox News)
Silwa, who was the New York City Republican mayoral nominee that lost to Adams in 2021, believes the mayor is helping migrant families over the people who voted him into office.
"This mayor just doesn’t seem to get it. He takes care of the illegal aliens, and forsakes his own people," Silwa said.
Guardian Angels members who were standing behind Sliwa during the "Hannity" appearance then left the frame, apparently spotting someone committing a crime.
Guardian Angels founder Curtis Silwa, who was the New York City Republican mayoral nominee that lost to Eric Adams in 2021, believes the mayor is helping migrant families over the people who voted him into office. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)
"Our guys have just taken down one of the migrant guys right here on the corner, 42nd and Seventh," Sliwa said as Sean Hannity asked for the camera to pan over to show the Guardian Angels tussling with a man.
"They’ve taken over, they’ve taken over," Sliwa said. "It’s out of control."
Later in the program, Hannity went back to Sliwa to explain what occurred during his live interview.
"He had been shoplifting first, the Guardian Angles spotted him, stopped him, he resisted, and let’s just say we gave him a little pain compliance. His mother back in Venezuela felt the vibrations," Sliwa said.
"He’s sucking concrete, the cops scraped him off the asphalt, he’s on his way to jail but they’ll cut him loose. We’ve got to take 42nd street back, Sean, these illegals think they own this street. They think they rule the night. This is our country."
The New York Post reported that the man was attempting to disrupt Sliwa’s interview.
"Officers were informed that the male had repeatedly attempted to interfere with and disrupt a live television interview. The male was issued a summons for disorderly conduct," an NYPD spokesperson told the paper.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams defended a program to give migrants cards to spend on food and baby products while appearing before a state budget hearing on Tuesday. (Handout via NY Senate)
Adams has defended the reported $53 million prepaid credit cards programs despite public outcry.
Appearing before a state legislative budget hearing in Albany on Tuesday, the Democratic mayor said he sought to dismiss "misinformation" about the prepaid credit card program.
"We’re not giving people American Express cards," Adams said.
"We found that the food delivery service that we set up during the emergency – we could find a better way to do it in our belief that we want to cut 20% of the migrant costs. So, we have a pilot project with 500 people that we are giving them food cards, so instead of a debit card, instead of having to deliver food, and have people eat food – we were seeing wasting food – they’re now able to get their own food, that is going to be spent $12 a day."
Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
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Brian Flood is a media editor/reporter for FOX News Digital. Story tips can be sent to