Mamdani Opens NYC Childcare to All Kids
New York City’s mayor rolled out a big promise. Free 3-K and pre-K for everyone. No one will be asked about immigration status.
Zohran Mamdani spelled it out at a media roundtable. He said, “Just to put it very clearly, these are programs for every single New Yorker,” and, “These are not programs that are going to ask the immigration status of any one of the children.”
He doubled down. “All of those children are New Yorkers. They should all be enrolled in 3-K and pre-K, no matter where they were born or where they come from. And we are also proud to be a sanctuary city.” Short, direct. No forms. No checks.
The mayor also addressed ICE access to city sites. He said that agents are turned away from schools, hospitals and city properties “unless those ICE agents can present a judicial warrant signed by a judge. We know that the vast majority of the time, ICE agents are not presenting that kind of documentation. If they’re presenting any kind of documentation, it tends to be an administrative warrant. And, a lot of times, there isn’t any kind of documentation provided.”
That language will please progressive voters. It will alarm others. Conservatives argue this is a policy choice with consequences. If enrollment is truly open, taxpayer money follows every child who signs up. The program is not free. New Yorkers pay for it through taxes and budgets.
Some critics point to recent scandals elsewhere. Daycare fraud and oversight failures have landed officials in trouble in other states. Opponents say expanded access without strict verification or oversight risks repeating those mistakes.
Mamdani framed the policy as a cost saver for families. He said the program can “save New Yorkers tens of thousands of dollars a year by providing them with free childcare.” But for voters who want strict immigration enforcement and tighter checks on spending, that message raises red flags.
This is a political choice. It’s a statement about what the city prioritizes. Supporters will call it inclusive. Opponents will call it irresponsible. Either way, the rollout makes clear the new administration’s direction going into 2026.
BREAKING: Communist NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani announces criminal aliens will be eligible for taxpayer-funded universal child care.
“These are programs for everyone. They will not ask immigration status. We are proud to be a sanctuary city.”
RIP NYC.
pic.twitter.com/n7XKZXKgwY— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 23, 2026