In a fiery declaration that signals a dramatic escalation of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement agenda, Border Czar Tom Homan vowed Monday to "triple down" on federal operations in sanctuary cities across the United States, with New York City and Los Angeles squarely in his crosshairs.
This bold pledge arrives just days after the passage of the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, a sweeping immigration funding bill that greenlights the hiring of up to 10,000 new agents for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), setting the stage for what may become the most aggressive deportation campaign in modern American history.
Homan, known for his blunt rhetoric and uncompromising stance on immigration, spoke at a press briefing in Washington, D.C., where he outlined the administration’s next moves.
“We’re going to be in New York City,” he said. “President Trump said it two weeks ago. We’re going to double down and triple down on sanctuary cities. Why? Not because they’re a blue city or a blue state... but because we know that’s where the problem is.”
His comments reflect a growing frustration within the administration over local jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, often by barring local law enforcement from sharing information with ICE or by releasing undocumented immigrants without notifying federal agents.
Homan went further, accusing sanctuary cities of directly endangering the public. “They’re releasing public safety threats and national security threats to the streets every day,” he said.
“We know that. We don’t have that problem in Florida, where every sheriff in the state is working with us. I’ve said it before—we’ll flood the zone on sanctuary cities.”
This hardline posture aligns with a broader strategy now unfolding within the Trump White House, as officials seek to expand immigration enforcement while simultaneously targeting cities that resist federal cooperation.
The newly passed One Big, Beautiful Bill Act has become the linchpin of this strategy, funneling billions into ICE operations and paving the way for the hiring surge that officials say is necessary to begin large-scale deportations.
President Trump has openly stated his ambition to deport up to 21 million undocumented immigrants—a figure that dwarfs previous efforts by any administration.
Critics have decried this plan as both unrealistic and inhumane, but Trump allies argue that the number reflects the scope of the problem the country faces and the resolve of the administration to confront it. “We’re not playing games anymore,” Homan said. “If you’re here illegally, if you’ve ignored our laws, you will be found, and you will be removed.”
Homan’s remarks also come in the wake of growing tension between ICE and progressive media outlets. Last week, he lashed out at CNN for promoting an app called ICEBlock, which allows users to report the real-time location of immigration officers.
The app, now going viral among immigrant rights activists, has sparked outrage among federal officials, who argue that it puts agents’ lives at risk. “It sounds like this would be an incitement of further violence against our ICE officers,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during a follow-up interview with The Daily Wire.
“It’s unacceptable that a major network would promote such an app that is encouraging violence against law enforcement officers who are trying to keep our country safe.”
Homan went further, warning that the app could provoke copycat attacks similar to what ICE agents faced recently in Los Angeles, where federal officers were reportedly assaulted with bricks and Molotov cocktails during riots tied to immigration enforcement.
“It’s only a matter of time before ICE officers are going to be ambushed by some nut,” Homan warned. “This is just disgusting at every level. I hope DOJ dives into this deeply, because ICE is concentrating on public safety threats and national security threats.”
The Department of Justice is reportedly reviewing the app’s legality and whether it constitutes an incitement to violence or obstruction of federal law enforcement.
Legal experts remain divided on whether a mobile application can be prosecuted for facilitating resistance to law enforcement, but officials say the investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security has begun identifying high-priority sanctuary jurisdictions for intensified operations, with special focus on cities that have refused to honor federal detainer requests.
New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco are likely to top the list, followed by Los Angeles, which is already facing a separate DOJ lawsuit for obstructing federal immigration law.
These cities have repeatedly drawn the ire of the administration for their refusal to hand over suspects to ICE and for policies that Homan and Trump view as "shields for criminals."
Homan insists the coming enforcement wave will not be indiscriminate. “We are focusing on threats,” he said. “People with prior removals, criminal convictions, gang affiliations.
These are not harmless people. These are individuals who have already been through the legal system, many of whom have committed violent crimes and are still being released back into the community.”
Still, immigrant advocacy groups warn that the administration’s rhetoric and tactics are already stoking fear in communities across the country. “This administration is weaponizing fear,” said Maribel Ochoa of the National Immigrant Justice Coalition.
“Families are terrified to send their children to school, to go to work, to even step outside. This is not about public safety—this is about political theatre and scapegoating.”
Ochoa also condemned the vilification of sanctuary cities, arguing that these jurisdictions are upholding basic constitutional values. “Local leaders have every right to protect the trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. When people are afraid to report crimes or testify in court because of their immigration status, public safety suffers—not improves.”
But Trump supporters argue that sanctuary cities are doing the opposite—prioritizing the interests of undocumented immigrants over the safety of American citizens.
They point to cases where individuals released from sanctuary jurisdictions have gone on to commit serious crimes, including murder. “We’ve seen it over and over again,” said Homan. “People who should have been deported are being protected, and innocent Americans are paying the price.”
In Florida, which Homan praised as a model for federal-state cooperation, sheriffs across the state have signed agreements with ICE under the Warrant Service Officer program, which allows local deputies to hold immigration suspects for up to 48 hours for federal pickup.
“That’s how it should work,” Homan said. “Law enforcement working together. Not this nonsense of releasing criminals because someone in city hall wants to make a political statement.”
With the immigration debate escalating ahead of the 2026 midterms, the Trump administration appears determined to make sanctuary cities a focal point of its law-and-order messaging. Officials are already preparing new campaigns to highlight what they call “the sanctuary city crisis,” and to mobilize support for increased federal intervention.
At the same time, legal battles are mounting. In addition to the lawsuit against Los Angeles, sources say the Department of Justice is preparing similar cases against other jurisdictions that refuse to comply with federal immigration requests.
These lawsuits, combined with the expected increase in enforcement actions, suggest that the conflict between red states and blue cities will only deepen.
Despite the controversy, Homan remains undeterred. “We’re not backing down,” he said. “This is about protecting the American people. The law is on our side, and we will use every tool available to enforce it.”
Whether or not the courts agree, or whether the public supports the dramatic expansion of ICE powers, remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: under Trump’s leadership, immigration enforcement is no longer a back-burner issue—it is now front and center in a growing national showdown over borders, sovereignty, and the soul of America’s cities.
