Trump’s border czar Tom Homan has sent a blunt message to illegal immigrants in America: “We’re looking for you, and you cannot hide.”

Story Snapshot

• Border Czar Tom Homan says ICE is actively hunting illegal immigrants and warns “you cannot hide.”
• He vows the largest deployments in sanctuary cities like New York, tying them to crime and public safety.
• Homan blames New York’s move to end jail cooperation for forcing more street-level operations.
• Governor Hochul and big media paint his warnings as “cruel” threats, not law enforcement.

Homan’s Warning: ‘We’re Looking For You’

White House border czar Tom Homan has made clear that illegal immigrants are now a top target of federal enforcement. Speaking from the White House, he told those in the country illegally that they “cannot hide” and will be hunted down, detained, and removed under Trump’s mass deportation campaign. He urged them to “get your affairs in order” and either cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement or use the government’s app to self-deport. His message is simple: if you are here illegally, federal agents are looking for you.

Homan has also warned that there will be “no amnesty” and that every illegal border crosser and visa overstayer remains on the table for arrest. He explained that new funding from Congress is paying for more agents, more detention beds, more transportation, and more immigration judges to move deportation cases faster. While he says public safety and national security threats are the top priority, he repeats that being in the country illegally is itself enough to draw attention from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Why New York Became Ground Zero

Homan has singled out New York City as a prime focus, saying there will be “more Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents than you’ve ever seen” in the city. He argues that sanctuary policies and the state’s move to end 287(g) jail agreements mean jails no longer hold illegal immigrants for pickup, so federal teams must hunt them in neighborhoods and at job sites. He claims New York officials release people daily, including criminals, and that thousands have “hit the streets” instead of being turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That, he says, leaves the federal government “no choice” but to surge resources into New York.

New York’s law ending 287(g) agreements does not void them overnight, though. Reporting shows the bill takes effect ninety days after signing, and existing agreements remain valid for about two and a half months. Legal scholars note that these agreements are voluntary and can be terminated at any time by either side, which means New York is within its rights to walk away from them. Some experts add that many Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers rely only on internal agency warrants, not a judge’s probable cause, and courts have found that holding someone past their release date on that basis can violate the Fourth Amendment. That is the core of the state’s argument for refusing detainers even as Homan demands more cooperation.

Sanctuary Cities vs. Federal Law

Homan ties sanctuary policies directly to rising danger, warning that when jails and local police refuse to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, agents have to operate in homes, streets, and workplaces instead. He says President Trump instructed him to prioritize sanctuary cities and send “many more agents” into them, not because they are blue, but because they release public safety threats back into the community. His view is that jurisdictions blocking immigration enforcement will only see larger and more visible operations, including mass arrests and transfers to jails in other states where sheriffs still cooperate.

Democratic leaders and many media outlets push a very different picture. Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City politicians call Homan’s plans “cruel” and “inhumane” and insist immigrants are vital to the city’s life. Outlets like New York Magazine and The Hill describe his language as “ominous threats,” framing the surge as political punishment rather than routine enforcement. Left-leaning groups cite national data showing Immigration and Customs Enforcement has increasingly arrested people with no criminal records and accuse the agency of aggressive tactics in homes, schools, and churches. They argue that expanded raids risk violating constitutional rights and tearing families apart, even as the Trump administration says it is simply enforcing existing law.

What It Means For Law-Abiding Americans

For citizens who play by the rules, Homan’s message is about restoring order after years of chaos at the border and in cities. He points to hundreds of thousands of deportations and the largest enforcement surges in places like Minnesota as proof that the administration is serious about removing criminal aliens and national security threats from communities. At the same time, critics warn that Immigration and Customs Enforcement expansion has outpaced accountability, with reports of raids that reach into homes without judicial warrants and tactics that have drawn scrutiny from courts and civil rights groups. This clash leaves ordinary Americans caught between two realities: a federal government finally cracking down on illegal immigration, and local leaders and activists who are committed to shielding people here unlawfully, even when that means open conflict with Washington.

Sources:

youtube.com, nymag.com, cityandstateny.com, thehill.com, governor.ny.gov, facebook.com, ilrc.org, nyclu.org, aclu-wy.org, migrationpolicy.org, americanimmigrationcouncil.org, myattorneyusa.com, brookings.edu