Donald Trump’s hardline border czar, Tom Homan, has renewed his threat to send a surge of immigration agents to New York City, as the administration continues its controversial crackdown on illegal immigration.
In an interview on Fox News on Monday, Homan said he had reviewed a plan to expand Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in New York, promising to deploy “more ICE agents than you’ve ever seen” in the city. He said he was keeping a promise to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, made after she signed legislation barring state and local law enforcement from working with federal immigration authorities in jails.
Homan has repeatedly targeted sanctuary cities that limit cooperation with ICE, and his latest comments come as millions of visitors are expected for the NBA finals and the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey. Immigrant rights advocates have issued travel warnings for the 10 million expected World Cup visitors, citing risks of “arbitrary denial of entry and risk of arrest, detention and/or deportation”.
At least 18 people have died in ICE custody this year, including two US citizens killed during an enforcement surge in Minneapolis in January. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani rejected Homan’s threat, stating, “Soccer would not exist without immigrants… We will not allow ICE or anyone else to sow fear in our communities.”
