After CBP agent is shot in NYC, Tom Homan says sanctuary cities are now ICE's priority
President Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, says sanctuary cities are now his priority after the shooting of a Customs and Border Protection agent over the weekend in New York City.
He said Monday he's fed up with the city's sanctuary laws and will now "flood" the area with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to arrest people where ever they find them.
"Sanctuary cities are now our priority"
Homan said he's especially angry with the City Council, which went to court to stop a deal with Mayor Eric Adams to allow ICE to arrest people on Riker's Island, adding the new policies mean that people who are not criminals could get caught up in the new dragnet.
"Sanctuary cities are now our priority. We're going to flood the zone. You don't want to let us into jail to arrest a bad guy in the safety and security of a jail. You want to release him into the street. So, what we're going to do, we'll have more agents in New York City to look for that bad guy," Homan said.
The shooting of the 42-year-old off-duty CBP patrol officer in Fort Washington Park late Saturday night has Homan saying he's no longer going to play nice with the mayor, or hope he can convince the City Council or the courts to let ICE agents operate on Rikers Island.
"Sanctuary cities get exactly what they don't want -- more agents in the community and more agents in the worksite. If we can't arrest that bad guy in the safety and security of county jail, we'll arrest him in the community," Homan said, "and when we arrest him in the community, if he's with others that are in the country illegally, they're coming, too."
How the policy could impact asylum seekers
It's unclear just how soon Homan plans to flood New York City with more federal immigration agents and just how many asylum seekers who are not on the feds' wanted lists could get caught up in the new actions. It's also unclear whether Homan plans to send his agents into schools, churches, hospitals and other places that so far have been locations where asylum seekers have felt safe.
However, one thing is clear: Adams doesn't want innocent people swept up in the raids. He says the feds should limit ICE to going after people who commit crimes.
"If he's going to assist us to go after those individuals, I welcome it. If it's going to be to go after everyday individuals who are trying to complete the path to be a citizen, then I don't think we should do that," Adams said.
How sanctuary laws could play role in NYC mayoral election
The question now is whether the mayor could pay a political price for supporting sanctuary city laws.
In the wake of the shooting of the off-duty CBP officer, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem expressed displeasure about the city's sanctuary policies.
- Watch: Off-duty CBP officer shooting has Mayor Adams facing political buzz saw from federal officials
Noem is urging New Yorkers to consider Adams' support for sanctuary city laws when picking the next occupant of Gracie Mansion.
"Boy, start looking at the candidates today and see which one is going to start making the city safer, because you've got a mayor today that could have done better, could have done better and maybe he'd have more support today if he had put his people first," Noem said.
CBS News New York's Marcia Kramer asked Adams about Noem's comments.
"I think that she's accurate. You should look at the mayors and determine the candidates, and determine who's going to do the best for this city when it comes down to migrants and asylum seekers," Adams said. "And, you know, the history is going to show, and the facts are going to speak on my behalf, that how well we've done at the city."
Republican Curtis Sliwa says he's the best candidate to work with the feds.
"Well, I'm the only candidate running who's opposed to the sanctuary city, but I would have used charter revision, put it on the ballot. Eric Adams had two opportunities to put it on the ballot. Tremendous number of voters would have come in and voted on that," Sliwa said.
Kramer reached out to the campaigns of Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo to get their positions on sanctuary cities and working with the feds, but did not immediately hear back.
