President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, didn’t bother with polite language this week as he unloaded on New York’s far-left leadership, accusing Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul of deliberately sabotaging immigration enforcement while pretending to support public safety.
In a blistering interview, Homan called out Hochul for boxing in former New York City Mayor Eric Adams with so-called “guardrails” that made cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement nearly impossible. According to Homan, when Adams attempted to work with federal authorities to remove violent illegal aliens from city streets, Hochul swooped in to shut it down—proof, he says, that New York’s sanctuary rhetoric is nothing more than political theater.
Homan pointed to a familiar pattern. After brutal crimes committed by illegal aliens—assaults on NYPD officers, even the horrific burning death of a woman on a subway platform—Hochul dutifully appears before cameras to say that “criminal illegals should be deported.” But when it comes time to actually enforce the law, Homan says, her administration throws up roadblocks.
One of his main targets was New York’s notorious Green Light Law, which allows illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses while simultaneously blocking federal authorities from accessing DMV data. Homan explained how this policy puts both officers and the public at risk. When ICE or Border Patrol pulls over a vehicle, they are often blind to who they’re dealing with because New York has locked them out of the system. Even worse, he said, when federal agents do go through the legal process to obtain a warrant, the state alerts the suspect that they’re under investigation.
“That’s not public safety,” Homan made clear. “That’s protecting criminals.”
The Trump administration has already taken action. The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against New York and Hochul over the Green Light Law, arguing that the state is actively obstructing federal law enforcement. Meanwhile, reports confirm that Adams met multiple times with Homan and agreed to concrete steps to help ICE—including restoring federal access to Rikers Island, a move long opposed by the left.
Homan’s frustration boiled over during a joint appearance with Adams on Fox News, where he made it clear that he expected results, not excuses. If promises weren’t kept, Homan warned, he wouldn’t hesitate to show up in person and demand accountability.
Hochul’s office responded with the usual talking points. Her spokesperson claimed the governor supports secure borders and deporting violent criminals but accused the Trump administration of wanting to “tear babies away from their parents.” Notably absent from the statement was any direct response to Homan’s accusations about undermining Adams or shielding criminals through state policy.
To conservatives, the contrast couldn’t be clearer. While the Trump administration is pushing for real enforcement and real consequences, New York’s Democratic leadership continues to prioritize illegal aliens over law-abiding citizens—then acts shocked when crime spirals out of control. Homan’s message was blunt but unmistakable: you can’t claim to support public safety while actively protecting those who break the law, and Americans are no longer buying the double talk.
