Tom Homan, the Trump administration's border czar, doubled down Monday on plans to significantly expand immigration enforcement operations in New York City, saying he has already reviewed a deployment strategy that would send what he calls "more ICE agents than you've ever seen" to the city.
The threat follows Governor Kathy Hochul's decision to sign legislation last month that prohibits state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities in New York jails. Homan said on Fox News that he made a direct promise to Hochul about the consequences of that move.
"I made her a promise: you're going to see more ICE agents than you've ever seen in New York City, and it's coming," Homan said. "I just reviewed an operational plan."
The warning marks the latest in a series of threats Homan has leveled at Democratic-controlled sanctuary cities nationwide that restrict local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. No surge in ICE personnel has materialized in New York to date despite previous warnings.
The timing of Homan's announcement comes as the region prepares for a massive influx of visitors. Millions are expected to arrive for the Knicks' NBA Finals run and the FIFA World Cup final, scheduled to take place in New Jersey, about 10 miles outside the city. Immigration rights groups have issued travel alerts warning the estimated 10 million World Cup visitors about potential "serious rights violations," including arbitrary entry denial and risks of arrest, detention, and deportation.
The escalating rhetoric reflects broader enforcement priorities under the Trump administration. ICE deaths in custody have drawn scrutiny this year, with at least 18 fatalities recorded. In January alone, immigration officers in Minneapolis killed two U.S. citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, during an enforcement surge.
Author James Rodriguez: "Homan's promise to flood NYC with ICE agents while the city braces for massive tourism is either a negotiating tactic or a calculated show of force, but either way, it signals the administration is serious about testing sanctuary city limits."
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