Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams met with President-elect Donald Trump’s “border czar” Tom Homan on Thursday to discuss strategies to “go after” migrants who commit “violent” crimes.
Homan, acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director during the first Trump administration and a Project 2025 contributor, was announced by Trump as the next person “in charge of our Nation’s Borders” in a Truth Social post on November 10.
In media appearances since his appointment, Homan has been busy warning Democrats, and in particular Democratic mayors of “sanctuary cities,” against attempting to block him from carrying out Trump’s mass deportation plans next year.
Adams, a New York City Police Department officer for decades before launching his political career, told reporters at a news conference after meeting with Homan that he would “protect the rights of immigrants” in New York but had the “same goal” as the incoming border czar.
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“We’re not going to be a safe haven for those who commit repeated violent crimes,” Adams said. “That was my conversation today with the border czar, to figure out how to go after those individuals who are repeatedly committing crimes in our city.”
“His goal is the same goal I have,” he added. “We cannot allow dangerous individuals to commit repeated violent acts of violence in our cities across America.”
Adams was met with immediate backlash over his meeting with Homan, with some Democratic lawmakers and pro-migrant advocacy groups denouncing the apparent alliance.
Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman, who represents parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, told Spectrum News correspondent Kevin Frey that he supports “the idea of the mayor working with the incoming administration” but was “concerned” about Adams pushing to deport migrants who have not committed any crimes.
“I’m especially concerned about the rhetoric that Eric Adams has used about deporting people who are simply accused of felonies,” Goldman said. “I think the mayor, especially, should understand the importance of due process and the importance of innocent until proven guilty.”
Adams in September was indicted on federal charges including bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy and unlawful solicitation of campaign contributions. He has pleaded not guilty and claims that the charges are retaliation for opposing the immigration policies of President Joe Biden.
New York Immigration Coalition President and CEO Murad Awawdeh said in a statement that Adams’ meeting with Homan was “despicable,” arguing that the mayor decided to “shirk his responsibilities to uphold New York City’s existing policies and values as a sanctuary city by collaborating with Trump’s border czar.”
“Targeting immigrants for arrests and deportation is destructive and diverts resources away from initiatives that actually promote safety and well-being,” he added. “Adams is clearly prioritizing his own political self-interest over the needs and the public safety of all New Yorkers.”
Jennifer Hernandez, director of campaigns for grassroots immigrant-led Make the Road New York, said her group participated in a protest of the meeting outside New York’s City Hall on Thursday.
“Mayor Adams’ meeting with Homan undermines the values of our city, and who we are as New Yorkers,” Hernandez said in a statement. “We reject any efforts to separate immigrant families and terrorize our communities.”
“During our rally, our members and allies made it clear to New Yorkers who Tom Homan is and why Mayor Adams should not meet with him,” she added. “We won’t back down and are committed to fighting back any attack on immigrants, including attacks by our mayor!”
Newsweek reached out for comment to the office of Adams via email on Thursday night.
Homan praised Adams following the meeting, saying in an interview with Dr. Phil McGraw a short time later that he connected with Adams due to their shared background in law enforcement and that he left the meeting with “a whole new outlook on the mayor.”
“I’ve called him out this past year, many times, about being more of a politician than a police officer. I was wrong,” Homan said. “He came through today as a police officer and a mayor that cares about the safety and security of his city.”
