New York (AFP) - A US judge on Wednesday dismissed corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams, while sharply criticizing apparent efforts by Donald Trump’s administration to use the case as political leverage over the city leader.

Judge Dale Ho dismissed the case permanently – depriving the government of the right to revive the charges at a later date.

The Department of Justice had been accused of requesting dismissal in exchange for Adams agreeing to enforce Trump’s immigration crackdown – with a view to potentially holding the prospect of reinstating charges over the mayor’s head if he didn’t follow through.

“Everything here smacks of a bargain: dismissal of the Indictment in exchange for immigration policy concessions,” wrote Judge Ho.

Adams – once an up-and-coming star of the Democratic Party – was accused of wire fraud, soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations and a bribery conspiracy involving Turkish citizens and at least one Turkish official.

The judge argued that any possibility of the charges being reinstated would mean that the mayor “might be more beholden to the demands of the federal government than to the wishes of his own constituents.”

- Cooperation with Trump -

Critics have suggested that Trump sought to discontinue the prosecution against Adams because Adams has declined to criticize the new US president and indicated he would participate in the immigration crackdown.

New York is currently a sanctuary city, meaning local police and authorities do not assist immigration agents in their pursuit of undocumented migrants.

In March, Adams signed an executive order allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel access to the Rikers Island jail complex, a significant policy shift.

Trump’s push to quash the charges against Adams prompted a wave of protest resignations in the Manhattan district attorney’s office and in Washington.

Adams has consistently denied the fraud charges and resisted calls to resign, and earlier announced plans to run again for mayor of the largest US city in a November election.

He has angered many New Yorkers with his closeness to Trump, and was forced to deny reports that he could switch to the Republican Party.

In a joint appearance with Trump’s border czar Tom Homan on Fox News in February, the two described their newfound collaboration on immigration enforcement.

“If he doesn’t come through, I’ll be back in New York… saying, ‘Where the hell is the agreement we came to?’” Homan said.

- ‘Disturbing’ -

The judge said Wednesday he granted the motion to dismiss the graft case not on the basis of the DOJ’s arguments, but because the court “cannot force the Department of Justice to prosecute a defendant.”

He also ruled that there was no evidence to suggest prosecutors had acted improperly in pursuing Adams or that the investigation amounted to “election interference” in the mayoral race, as Trump’s DOJ had argued.

Ho said that the DOJ’s assertion that investigations that may inhibit officials’ ability to enforce federal policies should be dropped was “disturbing.”

The argument implied “that public officials may receive special dispensation if they are compliant with the incumbent administration’s policy priorities.”