Tom Homan Issues Urgent Warning on Record-Breaking Border Crisis—‘America’s Security Is at Stake’

Lead paragraph Tom Homan – the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and now President Trump’s high-profile “border czar” – says the administration is preparing an unprecedented surge of immigration raids in New York City and other so-called sanctuary jurisdictions. Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Monday, Homan vowed to “double and triple down” on arrests in the nation’s largest city, arguing that “that’s where the problem is.” Why New York City Is in the Crosshairs New York has long limited cooperation between local police and federal immigration agents, a stance Homan contends “endangers public safety and rewards law-breakers.” ICE data show the city has received more than 4,000 detainer requests so far this fiscal year, most of which have gone unfulfilled. Administration officials say the coming operation will prioritize migrants with final removal orders and those charged with violent crimes, but civil-rights groups warn the dragnet will inevitably sweep up parents and longtime residents with no criminal record. ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Fuels Manpower and Money Homan’s comments came just days after Mr. Trump signed the 900-page “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a massive homeland-security package that authorizes $165 billion for border enforcement. The law funds 10,000 new ICE officers, expands detention capacity to 100,000 beds and sets aside money for mobile processing centers that can be deployed to hot spots such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Homeland Security officials say the extra money will allow ICE to “flood the zone” with teams trained to execute workplace raids, knock-and-talk operations and street interdictions. A Sky-High Daily Quota Homan raised eyebrows by calling for agents to make “at least 7,000 arrests every single day” — more than double the internal quota of 3,000 the White House quietly adopted in May. “Do the math,” he told reporters. “We have to arrest 7,000 every day for the rest of this term just to catch the ones the Biden administration released.” Immigrant-rights advocates derided the target as both “inhumane” and “logistically impossible,” noting that ICE made roughly 113,000 arrests in the first three months of 2025. Pushback From City and State Leaders New York Mayor Eric Adams called Homan’s plan “another political stunt that will sow fear in immigrant neighborhoods,” vowing the city will not divert police resources to federal raids. State Attorney General Letitia James said her office is prepared to litigate “any overreach that violates due-process rights.” The New York Civil Liberties Union urged residents to know their rights and advised community organizations to keep hotlines staffed around the clock. Business Community on Edge Employers are also bracing for increased scrutiny. The Bloomberg Terminal warns that large food-service, construction and hospitality companies could face work-site audits with little notice, disrupting supply chains and heightening labor shortages. Several national restaurant groups are already advising franchise owners to review I-9 documentation procedures and have counsel on standby. What the Polls Say While critics label the crackdown extreme, a recent Rasmussen survey found 54 percent of likely U.S. voters support “significantly increasing deportations of undocumented immigrants,” and support jumps to 67 percent among Republicans. Homan cites such polls as proof that “the American people are with us, even if sanctuary politicians aren’t.” Legal Battles on the Horizon Immigration attorneys predict a wave of habeas corpus petitions as detention centers fill up. Federal judges in California and New York have previously blocked similar mass-arrest campaigns, ruling that blanket raids without individualized probable cause violate the Fourth Amendment. The Justice Department says it is “confident” the new statute provides sufficient authority, but several law professors argue the Supreme Court could ultimately decide the scope of ICE’s expanded powers. What Happens Next? • Rapid deployment: ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) teams are expected to begin intensified sweeps in outer-borough neighborhoods as early as next week. • Data-driven picks: Agents will use license-plate readers and facial-recognition tools to locate targets with outstanding deportation orders. • Congressional spotlight: House Democrats plan hearings to examine civil-liberties concerns, while Senate Republicans are drafting a resolution praising the operation. • Community response: Faith-based and legal-aid groups are scheduling “Know Your Rights” workshops and urging residents to memorize hotline numbers before raids begin. Key Takeaways for Readers • Tom Homan’s demand for 7,000 ICE arrests per day signals the largest immigration enforcement push in U.S. history. • New York City, a high-profile sanctuary jurisdiction, will be ground zero for the operation. • The new $165 billion border-security law bankrolls thousands of agents and tens of thousands of additional detention beds. • Legal challenges, political backlash and potential labor disruptions loom as the raids roll out. Bottom line: With fresh funding, aggressive arrest quotas and a focus on high-density immigrant enclaves, Tom Homan is poised to reshape the national debate on immigration enforcement—starting in the heart of New York City.