Mayor Eric Adams testified before Congress Wednesday with three other “sanctuary city” mayors as his approval rating in New York tanks. Will a focus on immigration policy pave the way for a Mayor Cuomo?

A new Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday shows Mr. Adams with a job approval rating of just 20 percent — the lowest of any New York City mayor in nearly 30 years, the polling company says. Only 15 percent of registered Democrats approve of the mayor’s job performance, while 35 percent of Republicans do.

The poll also suggests that an overwhelming majority of New Yorkers favor the Trump administration policy of deporting illegal migrant criminals. Among New York City registered voters, 32 percent said they approve of deporting all illegal immigrants, while 47 percent think only illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes should be deported. Just 9 percent oppose both scenarios.

With the polls dogging him at home and facing accusations that he’s entered into a quid pro quo with President Trump, Mr. Adams testified before Congress on Wednesday as one of four “sanctuary city” mayors. He faced the toughest questioning from Democrats in Congress and praise from Republicans. For the other Democratic mayors on the hot seat, it was the reverse. 

Democrats hammered Mr. Adams on his legal troubles and alleged arrangement with Mr. Trump.  The Republican chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Congressman James Comer, however, thanked Mr. Adams for his willingness to work with Border Czar Tom Homan and ICE.  

“Of the witnesses today, you have publicly stated you were willing to work with ICE on detaining the most criminal illegals,” Mr. Comer said. “I want to publicly thank you for that.”

Mr. Adams defended New York’s “sanctuary city” policy at the hearing, but he did so with nuance. He testified that the city has spent $6.9 billion in the last four years on housing and other costs related to the illegal migrant influx. He also denied any quid pro quo with President Trump.

“The sanctuary city classification does not mean our city will ever be a safe haven for violent criminals,” Mr. Adams said. “It also does not give New York City the authority to violate federal immigration laws.”

While 72 percent of Democrats think Mr. Adams should resign from office, the mayor came in second in Quinnipiac’s theoretical Democratic primary, though it did not take ranked choice voting into account. The poll finds the former New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, in the lead with 31 percent support, followed by Mr. Adams with 11 percent. The rest of the field scored in the single digits.

“The great mismanagement goes to Andrew Cuomo’s benefit. Why? Because he is a manager,” a Democratic strategist, Hank Sheinkopf, tells The New York Sun. He says New Yorkers are “looking to Cuomo because they want stability.”

Mr. Cuomo officially entered the mayor’s race on Saturday. In his 17-minute campaign launch video announcement, Mr. Cuomo tried to stake out the center lane as a moderate Democrat with managerial expertise. He threw a bone to Republicans.

“I have worked with President Trump in many different situations and I hope President Trump remembers his hometown,” Mr. Cuomo said. “We do not harbor criminals but we believe in lawful intelligent immigration because we are a city of immigrants.”

Besides Mr. Adams, Mr. Cuomo is the only candidate in a field of eight Democrats so far who is running as a moderate with a nuanced view of immigration that is in line with voters if the new polls are to be believed. 

Also on Wednesday, a federal judge ruled that the Federal Emergency Management Agency does not need to immediately return the $80 million for sheltering migrants that the federal government clawed away as part of its DOGE efforts. The city sued the Trump administration last month over the reneged funds.

The city’s progressive comptroller, Brad Lander, and other Democratic mayoral candidates are attacking Mr. Cuomo for failing to stand up to Mr. Trump in an interview on Monday with Stephen Smith. Mr. Lander released a statement questioning whether Mr. Cuomo would sue the Trump administration to get back these funds.

“Either Andrew Cuomo isn’t paying attention because he hasn’t lived in the city for decades, or he’s just as scared to stand up to Trump as Eric Adams is,” Mr. Lander said.

Mr. Lander also criticized Mr. Adams Congressional testimony on X. “Why is @MayorWu doing a better job fighting for New York City immigrants who power our City than our own Mayor?” he posted.

Yet these progressive assaults could work to Mr. Cuomo’s favor as Mr. Adams’ poll numbers plummet. Crime and public safety are the biggest concerns to city voters, and residents’ views on immigration are not in line with the progressive wing of the party. A focus on immigration also takes attention away from Mr. Cuomo’s prior sexual misconduct allegations that forced him to resign as governor, from the nursing home scandal, and from the investigation into his $5 million Covid book deal.

“Cuomo will almost have this real moderate center lane to himself, and that could be a real window or door opening for his pathway to Gracie Mansion,” a former New York State Senator, David Carlucci, tells the Sun.