Tom Homan warns NYC will see ‘increase in ICE enforcement’ before Zohran Mamdani takes office

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, warned on Tuesday, November 18, that New Yorkers will see an increase in federal immigration enforcement before Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani takes office.

During an interview on Fox News, Mamdani also said he plans to hold Mayor Eric Adams’ administration accountable for its commitment to reopen ICE’s office on Rikers Island.

Tom Homan said he and Eric Adams once agreed to let ICE into Rikers Island before the City Council stopped it (@EricLDaugh/X)

Tom Homan warns of increased ICE enforcement in NYC

Tom Homan said on 'America’s Newsroom,' "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."

Trump’s border czar also said he plans to return to the Big Apple soon, adding that there will be more immigration agents on city streets as part of a 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," Homan said. He added, "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."

Homan’s warning comes just weeks before Zohran Mamdani is set to be sworn in as mayor, replacing Eric Adams, who had previously been an ally of Homan and the Trump administration.

Homan had famously promised Adams to be “up his b***" if he didn’t cooperate on immigration. Meanwhile, Adams attempted to reopen ICE’s long-dormant office on the troubled jail complex, though indirectly through his first Deputy Mayor, Randy Mastro.

A judge ultimately blocked the executive order to resurrect the office, finding that Adams had a potential conflict of interest.

Meanwhile, Mamdani’s mayoral transition spokesperson, Dora Pekec, said in a statement, "New York City’s more than three million immigrants are central to our city’s strength, vitality, and success. The Mayor-elect remains steadfast in his commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of every single New Yorker and upholding our sanctuary laws."

Trump hints at White House meeting with Zohran Mamdani

President Donald Trump has suggested that he is open to meeting with Zohran Mamdani at the White House, signaling a potential shift after their earlier clashes.

He also indicated that the two could find a way to work together, framing the possible meeting as an effort to establish a functional relationship with the mayor.

Despite his earlier critical comments and election-related remarks, the POTUS hinted at plans to meet Mamdani in Washington. "The mayor of New York would like to meet with us, and we'll work something out," Trump told reporters while preparing to board a flight in Florida on Sunday.

The POTUS added, "He would like to come to Washington and meet. We want to see everything work out well for New York."

Meanwhile, in a Fox News interview on November 5, Trump commented on Mamdani, saying he "would like to see the new mayor do well," but warned that if Mamdani did not respect Washington, he "does not have a chance of succeeding."

Similarly, on November 4, Trump said he would restrict federal funds for New York City if Mamdani won the mayoral election and urged supporters to vote for former Governor Andrew Cuomo.