Border czar Tom Homan says ICE agents will flood NY if Hochul doesn’t cooperate on federal immigration crackdown
Border czar Tom Homan on Wednesday warned that the feds could flood New York state with agents if Gov. Kathy Hochul doesn’t cooperate on immigration crackdowns — all while praising Mayor Eric Adams for his work with the Trump administration.
Homan, standing alongside Albany Republicans in the state Capitol, took a shot across the bow at Hochul and state Democrats over them defending sanctuary city policies.
“Sanctuary cities are going to get exactly what they don’t want: more agents in the community,” he said.
“We’ll double the man-force if we have to. Rather than one officer arresting a bad guy, now I have to send a whole team.”
“New York State, you’ve got to change your sanctuary status and if you don’t, get out of the way. We’re going to do our job,” Homan added.
The blunt border czar railed for roughly 30 minutes against Hochul, immigrant-friendly policies in New York and offered a full-throated defense of Adams, contending that the embattled mayor has made “great commitments” on immigration.
The wide-ranging, often caustic comments came during a rally by Republican lawmakers pushing to repeal the state’s Green Light Law, which allows undocumented immigrants to get driver’s licenses, as well as to pass New York’s Laken Riley Act, which aims to undercut sanctuary city policies.
Homan revealed that he will meet with Adams again this week, for what would be the pair’s third sit-down.
“We’re working on some things, I can’t share it all with you right now,” he said.
City Hall offered no details on Homan meeting, with a spokesperson saying, “If and when there is a meeting, our public schedule will let you know.”
The mayor has vowed to reopen a shuttered ICE office at Rikers Island via an executive order. The long-promised order has been drafted, a source said.
Adams “wanted to get federal immigration authorities back into Rikers Island to talk to illegal aliens who committed a crime against a citizen,” Homan told reporters.
He contrasted Adams’ collaborative, if controversial, work on the Rikers office with Hochul, saying that instead of helping deport criminal migrants the governor sought to “fire” Adams for working with the feds on President Trump’s immigration agenda.
Homan denied being part of an alleged “quid pro quo” deal in which the Trump administration would drop Adams’ corruption case in exchange for help with the immigration crackdown.
“I’ve been talking with him since November – had nothing to do with that, as far as I’m concerned,” he said.
An awkward joint interview with Homan and the mayor on “Fox & Friends” — in which Homan warned Hizzoner he’ll be “up his butt” for not following through on a promised agreement — helped stoke the fears that Adams was beholden to Trump.
When Homan was asked if he will meet with Hochul while in Albany, he responded, “She knows my number.”
The pair did not meet, as Hochul was in Harlem attending the funeral late NAACP New York President Hazel Dukes at the time of Homan’s press conference.
A spokesman for the governor waved off Homan’s rhetoric.
“Governor Hochul has been clear with New Yorkers: she supports secure borders and deporting violent criminals, but won’t let New York help the Trump Administration tear babies away from their parents,” the spokesman said in a statement.
“This isn’t the first time Trump Administration officials have lied about our policies — and it probably won’t be the last — but Governor Hochul is staying focused on keeping New Yorkers safe.”
Homan’s appearance in the state capital drew protests from Democratic lawmakers, including mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani, who tried to confront the czar after the news conference.
The state assemblyman blasted Homan for the Trump administration’s controversial detention of Columbia University grad and US permanent resident Mahmoud Khalil for his roles in anti-Israel protests.
“How many more New Yorkers?” Mamdani screamed at the top of his lungs. “How many more New Yorkers will you detain? How many more New Yorkers without charges? Do you believe in the First Amendment, Tom Homan?”
State troopers hauled Mamdani away from Homan, but didn’t arrest him or any other protesters.
Homan himself raised his voice toward the end of his news conference, after a reporter asked why he thought Hochul was trying to fire Adams.
He shouted over the crowd, “Because he’s trying to enforce immigration law,” and returned to the lectern.
“For a mayor who wants to be a law and order mayor, I think it’s the right kind of mayor that New York City deserves and should have,” he said.
– Additional reporting by Carl Campanile
