Amidst heightened tension over sanctuary city policies, Border czar Tom Homan has declared an intent to “flood” cities like New York with an increased number of ICE agents. This follows a violent incident in New York City where two undocumented immigrants from the Dominican Republic were arrested for the non-fatal shooting of an off-duty Customs and Border Protection officer, as reported by Gothamist.
Homan’s assertion that sanctuary city laws are “sanctuary cities for criminals,” signals a targeted approach to immigration enforcement, particularly in Democratic-led strongholds. In a recent statement obtained by FOX 5 NY, Tom Homan criticized the New York City Council for hindering ICE’s operations by blocking an executive order to reopen an office on Rikers Island. Moreover, Mayor Eric Adams, in a bend towards making the city safer, has expressed willingness to loosen sanctuary laws to facilitate NYPD’s collaboration with ICE.
This escalated focus on immigration enforcement comes on the heels of a federal lawsuit filed by the Trump administration aiming to dismantle the city’s sanctuary protections. The move appears to align with President Trump’s larger domestic policy, which earmarks significant funds for a more robust immigration enforcement infrastructure. According to Gothamist, about $170 billion has been designated for such initiatives, which experts like David J. Bier of the Cato Institute believe could drastically expand the number of agents on the ground…