Though she called ICE’s actions in recent months “deplorable,” she told the Eagle on Thursday that she disagreed with the letter’s central demand. The freshman councilmember, who was elected to succeed former Councilmember Francisco Moya in 2025, is the only self-described progressive official in Queens who has not signed on to the letter. Richards told the Eagle he was never asked to sign on to the letter. As of Friday afternoon, a total of 143 elected officials in New York State had signed on to the letter. Queens and Brooklyn State Senator Julia Salazar and Queens Assemblymember Diana Moreno organized the letter, alongside Brooklyn Councilmember Shahana Hanif.