Mayor de Blasio is defending his move to expand the list of crimes that let the city turn suspects over to Immigration Customs Enforcement.

Seven additional offenses that include child sex trafficking and patronizing child prostitution were added.

These additions bring the total number of crimes to 177.

De Blasio said the change remains in line with the original 2014 bill, which was meant to only impact those convicted of serious crimes.

"We do not believe for minor offenses that anyone should be torn away from their family,” the mayor said. “But if someone has committed one of these serious and violent crimes and has gone through the full legal process and is convicted, that’s when we all decided together, the Council and my administration, that that would be grounds for cooperation with ICE."

The extension has drawn criticism from some lawmakers including Councilmember Franciso Moya, who said in a statement, "ICE has repeatedly demonstrated for all who care to look that it will violate policies and infringe on liberties as it sees fit. There is no dignity or wisdom in expanding cooperation with such an agency."