The Democrat Party’s latest darling thought he could intimidate Donald Trump’s border czar.
He was dead wrong.
And Tom Homan just delivered one brutal warning that left socialist NYC mayor candidate scrambling.
Socialist mayor candidate learns the hard way
Zohran Mamdani pulled off a shocking victory in the Democrat primary for New York City mayor last month, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
But Mamdani’s victory celebration didn’t last long.
The far-left socialist has been running his mouth about blocking Immigration and Customs Enforcement if he wins the November election.
Mamdani has called ICE a "rogue agency" and promised to fight back against President Trump’s immigration enforcement crackdown.¹
"We have to stand up and fight back," Mamdani told NBC’s "Meet the Press" June 29. "We saw ICE agents arrest a migrant at Federal Plaza, and then we saw NYPD officers arresting a pastor who was peacefully observing that arrest."¹
"Those days are going to come to an end when I’m the mayor," he added.¹
But border czar Tom Homan wasn’t about to let some socialist upstart threaten federal immigration enforcement.
Homan crushes socialist dreams with three words
When reporters asked Homan about Mamdani’s threat to defy ICE, the border czar’s response was ice cold.
"Good luck on that," Homan told reporters at the White House on Monday.¹
Those three words packed more punch than any of Mamdani’s lengthy speeches about "fighting back."
Homan made it crystal clear that ICE operations won’t be stopped by some wannabe mayor with socialist fantasies.
"We’re going to be in New York City, and President Trump said it two weeks ago, we’re going to double down, triple down on sanctuary cities," Homan stated.¹
The border czar explained exactly why sanctuary cities are being targeted.
"Why? Not because [they’re a] blue city or blue state, because we know that’s where the problem is," he continued. "They’re releasing public safety threats and national security threats to the streets every day because they don’t honor our [requests they be] detained."¹
Trump already threatened to arrest Mamdani
This isn’t the first time Mamdani has drawn the ire of the Trump administration.
Earlier this month, President Trump threatened to arrest Mamdani if he attempted to block ICE operations.¹
The socialist candidate tried to spin Trump’s warning as an attack on democracy.
"[Trump’s] statements don’t just represent an attack on our democracy but an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: If you speak up, they will come for you," Mamdani shot back. "We will not accept this intimidation."¹
But Mamdani’s tough talk doesn’t change the reality that federal immigration law trumps local political posturing.
Homan promises to "flood the zone" in NYC
Homan warned that ICE will persevere no matter who occupies Gracie Mansion.
The border czar laid out exactly what sanctuary cities can expect.
"I’ve said it before, we’ll flood the zone with sanctuary cities. If they don’t let us arrest a bad guy in the county jail, they’re going to arrest them in the community, we’re going to arrest them at a work site," Homan explained.¹
"So we’re going to increase community operations, we’re going to increase work enforcement operations. We’re going to get the bad guys, so if they don’t want to help, get out of the way, we’re coming to do it."¹
Homan’s message to Mamdani and other sanctuary city politicians was unmistakable: get out of the way or get run over.
Current mayor has been cooperative with Trump
The contrast between Mamdani and current Mayor Eric Adams couldn’t be starker.
Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams has worked with the Trump administration on key immigration issues.
That cooperation has become a campaign issue, with Mamdani using it against Hizzoner.
But Adams understands what Mamdani apparently doesn’t: you can’t win a fight against federal immigration enforcement.
The Trump administration has the resources, the legal authority, and the political will to enforce immigration law.
Mamdani’s promises to defy ICE are nothing more than empty political theater designed to appeal to his far-left base.
The reality of sanctuary city politics
Sanctuary cities like New York have become havens for criminal illegal aliens because they refuse to work with federal immigration enforcement.
This creates a dangerous situation where criminals and security risks are released back into neighborhoods instead of being handed over to ICE.
Homan’s strategy of "flooding the zone" with ICE operations is designed to bypass uncooperative local officials.
If sanctuary cities won’t help federal agents arrest criminal illegal aliens in jails, then ICE will arrest them in the community.
This means more visible enforcement operations that will make it harder for politicians like Mamdani to ignore the consequences of their policies.
What this means for New York
Mamdani’s election in November would set up a direct confrontation between City Hall and the federal government.
But Homan’s warning makes it clear that ICE operations will continue regardless of who wins the mayor’s race.
The socialist candidate’s promise to fight ICE is really a promise to waste taxpayer money on legal battles he can’t win.
New Yorkers deserve better than a mayor who wants to turn their city into a battlefield over immigration policy.
They deserve a leader who will work with federal authorities to keep dangerous criminal illegal aliens off the streets.
Tom Homan’s brutal warning to Mamdani should serve as a wake-up call to voters in November.
The choice is clear: cooperation with federal immigration enforcement or chaos in the streets.
¹ Ryan King, "Border czar Tom Homan warns Mamdani to ‘get out of the way,’ vows ICE will ‘flood the zone’ in NYC," New York Post, July 7, 2025.
