Editor’s note: Latinos’ greater representation at City Hall comes at Adams’ expense

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who recently saw four deputy mayors resign over his alleged willingness to enforce the Trump administration’s policies on immigration, finally caved in and elevated a second Latino New Yorker to serve within his inner circle. Adolfo Carrión Jr., a Nuyorican whose parents came from Puerto Rico, was appointed by Adams on Friday to be his deputy mayor of housing. Before the Bronx-born Carrión’s appointment, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Ana Almanzar was the only other Latino serving at the highest levels of City Hall government. Adams appointed Almanzar, a Dominican, in 2023. He did appoint Latinos at lower levels, including Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, who is also Dominican and joined the administration when Adams first entered office in 2022. There was also schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, also Bronx-born and raised by a Puerto Rican single mother, who replaced outgoing Chancellor David Banks in October.

The mayor has the right to pick whomever he wants to work with him. But the stark absence of Latinos within the ranks of his deputy mayors right after he started his administration was frustrating. Latinos are 28% of the city’s population, the highest percentage after white, non-Hispanic New Yorkers at 31.3%, according to the U.S. census. Adams brought on his closest allies when he started out, but several left after either being raided by the FBI or also being slapped with indictments. So it’s only now that he’s turning to his bench of Latinos, adding much-needed diversity to City Hall’s leadership – a welcome move.