At his first annual interfaith breakfast, Mayor Zohran Mamdani invoked teachings from the Bible, Quran, Torah, and Bhagavad Gita to defend New York City's sanctuary city status, framing it as a religious and moral imperative to welcome and protect immigrants. Addressing nearly 400 faith and community leaders, Mamdani criticized federal immigration enforcement, describing their actions as cruel and destructive to families and communities. Drawing from his own interfaith upbringing, he emphasized that major world religions instruct followers to care for 'the stranger,' quoting sacred texts and highlighting the city's religious diversity as a source of strength.

During the event, Mamdani signed an executive order reaffirming New York City's sanctuary laws and restricting federal agents' access to city property without a judicial warrant. He also launched a 'Know Your Rights' campaign to educate immigrants through multilingual materials distributed by faith leaders. The mayor honored activists Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were recently killed in confrontations with immigration authorities, praising their commitment to supporting vulnerable communities.