Tom Homan: NYC to See Unprecedented Surge in ICE Agents
President Trump's border czar Tom Homan confirmed plans to deploy a record number of ICE agents to New York City in response to the state's new sanctuary laws blocking local cooperation with immigration enforcement.
Tom Homan confirmed Monday that operational plans are finalized for a major surge of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel into the Big Apple, fulfilling repeated warnings he issued to Gov. Kathy Hochul before she signed sweeping sanctuary laws last month.
The border czar told Fox News that New York will see more ICE agents than ever before in the city’s history. He revealed he has already reviewed the operational plan but declined to specify an exact timeline for deployment.
Homan emphasized that the escalation stems directly from New York’s decision to eliminate cooperation between county jails and federal immigration authorities, forcing ICE to pursue targets in residential neighborhoods rather than secure detention facilities.
The Trump administration official previously warned Hochul that blocking ICE access to county jails would necessitate expanded street operations that could trigger community unrest. He told the governor that jail-based arrests are safer for communities, officers, and immigrants themselves.
Sanctuary Legislation Sparks Federal Response
The legislative package Hochul signed into law in late May prohibits local police from partnering with federal immigration authorities and bans ICE from most public spaces across New York, including hospitals and parks. The laws also restrict agents from wearing masks during operations and eliminate all information cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials.
Republicans in the state Legislature strongly opposed the measures, which passed both chambers despite warnings about public safety consequences.
Hochul Claims Trump Promised No Surge
The Democratic governor pushed back against Homan’s announcement Monday, claiming President Trump personally assured her during a face-to-face meeting that he would not deploy federal agents to New York unless she requested assistance.
Hochul stated unequivocally that she is not requesting additional ICE presence and never will. She insisted New York is not a sanctuary state for criminals and argued her legislation was designed to ensure local police focus on local crime rather than federal immigration enforcement.
The governor, who faces reelection this year, proposed the sanctuary measures after immigration agents killed two US citizens in Minneapolis earlier in 2025. Her legislative initiative also targeted existing federal cooperation agreements, most notably with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the pro-Trump Republican challenging her in November.
Mayor Calls for ICE Abolition
Mayor Zohran Mamdani responded to Homan’s comments by condemning ICE raids as cruel and inhumane, calling for the agency’s complete abolition. He claimed immigration enforcement operations serve no public safety interest and advocated for a more humanitarian immigration system.
Homan has issued similar warnings about statewide ICE surges multiple times since sanctuary legislation gained momentum, though this marks the first confirmation that operational plans have reached the review stage.
With information from New York Post
