New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s refusal to force homeless individuals indoors during extreme cold is drawing fierce backlash as the city reels from deadly winter weather.
According to the New York Post, the death toll climbed to 18 as brutal conditions gripped the city, with several victims found dead outdoors. Critics argue that the mayor’s policy has left vulnerable people exposed to life-threatening temperatures in the name of ideology.
Even before taking office, Mamdani signaled he would abandon former Mayor Eric Adams’ practice of clearing homeless encampments, a move that was intended to prevent deaths during severe weather events.
Brian Stettin, a former senior adviser in the Adams administration, told the Post that the issue should not be political when lives are at stake. “When a person is in imminent danger, there is no debate,” Stettin said. “Whatever ideological divides we have should not have any impact on these policies during a ‘Code Blue.’”
City policy currently allows authorities to force individuals indoors only if they are deemed a danger to themselves or others. Critics say that standard is too narrow during extreme cold, when exposure itself can be deadly.
The contrast with Baltimore has fueled further criticism. In late January, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott ordered law enforcement to force homeless individuals indoors to protect them from freezing temperatures — an approach Mamdani has previously praised in other contexts.
Former New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer questioned the mayor’s inaction, saying Baltimore’s policy reflects the urgency of the situation. “The question is: Is it ideology or incompetence for the lack of action?” Stringer said. “Saving lives is the most important thing you can do as an elected official. The standard has to be in this extreme weather, ‘Can they survive the night?’”
Stringer added, “It’s just not a tough call when people can die in the night. I don’t understand why it’s so complicated.”
Public anger has spilled onto social media, where users accused Mamdani of abandoning the city’s most vulnerable residents. One commenter wrote, “Mamdani has made his cruelty evident,” while another said bluntly, “You voted for this, NYC.”
Ironically, Mamdani’s own rhetoric has intensified the backlash. During his swearing-in ceremony, the mayor declared, “We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism.” Critics now argue that his policies have delivered the opposite — leaving people to freeze under a government that refuses to act.
As temperatures remain dangerously low, pressure is mounting on City Hall to reconsider its approach. For many New Yorkers, the debate is no longer about ideology or legal nuance, but about whether the city will step in when human lives hang in the balance.
