President-elect Donald Trump, left, calls out to media as he and Vice President-elect Mike Pence appear at the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster clubhouse Sunday in Bedminster, N.J. | AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster De Blasio: Don't assume Trump 'just flips a switch and everything changes in this country'

Mayor Bill de Blasio has focused much of his attention since the Nov. 8 election on laying out how his administration will defy potential policies from President-elect Donald Trump. But Tuesday, one day after giving a speech outlining his plans to oppose Trump over immigration and public safety, the mayor told reporters not to expect dramatic change overnight.

"I don't think people should assume he just flips a switch and everything changes in this country,” de Blasio told reporters in lower Manhattan.


The mayor’s comment came amid a flurry of questions looking for details about the city’s plan to oppose potential federal policies from a Trump administration, including widespread deportation efforts and what de Blasio called "a religious registry" of Muslims.

"The president, as you know, is going to have to go through a lot of different hurdles to bring any vision to fruition, whether it’s by legislation through the Congress or whether it’s, in some cases, through executive order," de Blasio said. "There’s going to be legal challenges; there’s going to be any number of additional actions."

The mayor reiterated that it's city policy not to cooperate with federal immigration officials seeking information on undocumented residents who commit minor crimes. “We do not cooperate for minor and non-violent offenses. Nothing is going to change about that,” the mayor said.

De Blasio also dismissed the notion that Trump could wipe away large swaths of federal funding to New York City because of the mayor’s opposition to specific policies. The mayor said the Supreme Court's decision in South Dakota v. Dole also “restrained the ability of the federal government to cut funding” to cities. The federal government, he said, “can tie federal funding to certain conditions, but not across the board.”

He added, “I’m not going to speculate about the funding issue, because it’s way too early to tell.”

Also unclear is how much money the city will get to offset the reported $1 million-a-day price tag for protecting Trump and his eponymous midtown building, which has become the focal point for protesters, site-seers and visiting U.S. and foreign officials. De Blasio, who did not confirm the security cost, said he will talk to Trump’s team early next week and ultimately expects “substantial” federal reimbursement.

The mayor — who is now campaigning for re-election ahead of next year’s city races — also defended his decision to repeatedly turn his focus onto Trump and national issues. On Tuesday, the Daily News editorial page — no fan of Trump — warned the mayor, “inveighing against Trumpism is energy diverted from solving the daunting challenges New York faces.”

“There was a national election two weeks ago and it has huge ramifications for New York City and for millions of New Yorkers,” the mayor said Tuesday. “So, we have to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time.”