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President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, said Tuesday that New Yorkers should expect an increase in federal immigration enforcement as New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani prepares to take office.
In an interview on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom,” Homan said he also plans to hold the outgoing administration of Mayor Eric Adams accountable for its pledge to reopen Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s office on Rikers Island.
“Me and Mayor Adams at one point had an agreement to let ICE into Rikers Island so we could arrest the public safety threats and the safety and security of that facility, but the City Council shut it down,” he said.
Homan indicated he will return to New York City soon and that additional immigration agents are already operating in the city as part of an ongoing federal crackdown.
“I plan on being in New York City in the near future. We’re gonna do operations in New York City — we’re already there now, the teams are there now,” he said. “But we will increase the enforcement presence in New York City. Again, because they’re a sanctuary city and there are public safety threats hitting the streets every day.”
The comments come just weeks before Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, is set to be sworn in as mayor to replace Adams, who had been aligned with Homan and the Trump administration on immigration issues.
Adams attempted to revive ICE’s office at Rikers through an executive order carried out by his first deputy mayor, Randy Mastro, but a judge blocked the move, citing a potential conflict of interest. Adams’ corruption case had earlier been dismissed by the Trump Department of Justice.
“New York City’s more than three million immigrants are central to our city’s strength, vitality, and success,” Mamdani transition spokesperson Dora Pekec said in a statement. “The Mayor-elect remains steadfast in his commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of every single New Yorker and upholding our sanctuary laws.”
