Tom Homan, White House border czar, has criticized New York City’s Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, for his staunch support of New York as a sanctuary city. Homan argues that such policies hinder cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, potentially leading to tragic outcomes, as demonstrated in the case of Laken Riley. He emphasizes the critical need for law and order.
A conservative legal group, America First Legal (AFL), has taken action by informing New York City police officers that they can collaborate directly with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This is despite existing local sanctuary policies. The group has released a new guide as Homan organizes a major immigration enforcement surge in New York City.
The AFL guide references Section 1373, a federal law that prohibits state and local governments from limiting officers’ ability to share immigration-status information with federal authorities, such as ICE.
America First Legal, a nonprofit organization, positions itself as a defender of American rights. Recently, they released a 35-page handbook titled “Law Enforcement Officer Immigration Cooperation Guide”, directing officers to share immigration-status information with ICE even if local policies oppose it.
This guide coincides with Homan’s recent announcement to deploy a substantial increase in ICE agents to New York City after Mayor Mamdani signed an executive order reinforcing the city’s sanctuary policies.
The guide frequently cites federal law, stating that local rules may not restrict officials from relaying immigration-status information to federal authorities.
Police officers may contact ICE’s 24-hour Law Enforcement Support Center to verify an individual’s immigration status using a name and date of birth. According to the guiding document, officers can do this, overriding any local directives advising against such actions.
The guide emerges amidst heightened preparations by the Trump administration to boost immigration enforcement in New York. Homan intimated to Fox News the imminent arrival of a significant ICE operation in the city following Mayor Mamdani’s reaffirmation of its sanctuary policies. Homan avoided discussing operational specifics but pledged ICE’s unwavering commitment to enforce immigration laws, regardless of local opposition.
As tensions flare between Mamdani and the Trump administration, the mayor’s Executive Order 13 mandates the NYPD to update and train officers in coordination policies with federal immigration authorities. The executive order posits that aggressive tactics by certain non-local agencies in civil immigration enforcement threaten public safety by fostering a culture of fear.
America First Legal contends these local regulations unlawfully obstruct officers from voluntarily sharing immigration information with ICE. The organization emphasizes that federal law supersedes local policies. AFL also warns of legal risks tied to sanctuary policies, suggesting officials enforcing them might face federal criminal charges. Additionally, crime victims potentially harmed by released illegal immigrants could, in some cases, file federal civil RICO lawsuits against these officials.
Officers who feel threatened or penalized for cooperating with ICE are encouraged to seek confidential legal counsel from AFL. Politicians who hide behind sanctuary policies are not above the law, and they have no right to bully or gag the officers trying to keep their communities safe,
stated AFL Senior Counsel James Rogers.
Gene Hamilton, President of America First Legal, reinforces that officers should not be forced between obeying federal law and following unlawful municipal directives aimed at supporting sanctuary policies. New York City Hall has not yet commented on inquiries from Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital’s Taylor Penley and breaking news writer Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.