Happy New Year 2025

Tag: border

Border arrests hit lowest mark since last time Trump was in office

Apprehensions at the U.S. southern border hit a low mark not seen since the last time President Donald Trump was in office.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apprehended just 29,116 illegal immigrants along the southern border during the month of January, down from 47,000 in December and hitting a low mark not seen since May 2020, when 32,349 arrests were made at ports of entry, according to a White House press release.

Overall, CBP apprehended 61,465 illegal immigrants at the southern border in January, down 36% from the prior month, the release notes, citing new CP data.

NEW CARTEL THREATS AGAINST BORDER AGENTS: EXPLOSIVES, DRONES AND WIRELESS TRACKING

The situation on the border turned markedly with the change of administration. (Getty Images)

The numbers, which were shared with ABC News, shifted even more dramatically after Trump took office, with apprehensions falling 85% between Jan. 21 and 31, an 85% reduction from the same time period in 2024.

The numbers continue a string of news showing reductions in attempted border crossings under Trump, including a Fox News report last week that revealed the daily average of known gotaways – illegal immigrants who enter the U.S. while avoiding arrest – have fallen to just 132 per day since the beginning of February, at 93% reduction from the highs seen under former President Joe Biden.

President Donald Trump speaks with Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott along the border wall in San Luis, Arizona, June 23, 2020. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

BORDER PATROL AGENTS TO STOP WEARING BODY CAMERAS AFTER SOCIAL MEDIA POST REVEALS ‘SECURITY RISK’

The improving numbers at the border seemingly began in the first few days of the Trump administration, including a 35% reduction in Border Patrol encounters during the first three days of the new administration compared to the final three days under Biden.

President Joe Biden speaks with a member of the Border Patrol as they walk along the US-Mexico border fence in El Paso, Texas, on Jan. 8, 2023. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“During the previous administration, the average number of illegal aliens encountered at the southern border in January was 141,710 – the result of dangerous policies that ferried illegal aliens directly into our communities, where they were allowed to stay indefinitely,” reads the White House release. “Now, under President Trump, illegal border crossings are at record lows as illegal aliens are promptly arrested and sent home.”

Michael Lee is a writer for Fox News. Prior to joining Fox News, Michael worked for the Washington Examiner, Bongino.com, and Unbiased America. He has covered politics for more than eight years.

February 18, 2025
DHS helicopter patrolling border struck three times by laser from Mexico

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) helicopter that was patrolling the southern U.S. border was targeted by a laser from the Mexican side of the boundary.

An AS-350 helicopter patrolling about 13 miles west of McAllen International Airport in Texas was struck three times by a laser that was pointed at the aircraft from a vehicle on the Mexican riverbank last week, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) release.

The incident marked the sixth time in the last four months that Air Interdiction Agents have been forced to take evasive maneuvers after being targeted by lasers, the release notes.

NEW CARTEL THREATS AGAINST BORDER AGENTS: EXPLOSIVES, DRONES AND WIRELESS TRACKING

U.S. Office of Air and Marine (OAM) pilot Chad Stevens prepares to fly an AS-350 helicopter on patrol over the U.S.-Mexico border. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Another recent incident also involving an AS-350 helicopter occurred in Jacksonville, Florida, last month, which resulted in the arrest of an individual that now faces felony charges in the state.

“No pilots or crew were injured in these cases, and the laser sightings are being investigated,” the release said.

Owning handheld lasers isn’t illegal, but shining the laser into the cockpit of an aircraft is a federal crime that can result in 20-years of prison time and a $250,000 fine, the release notes.

The Rio Grande is seen from Laredo, Texas. (REUTERS/Veronica G. Cardenas)

BORDER PATROL AGENTS TO STOP WEARING BODY CAMERAS AFTER SOCIAL MEDIA POST REVEALS ‘SECURITY RISK’

“When laser beams are aimed at any piloted aircraft, whether military or commercial, what might seem like a tiny beam on the ground can blind aircrew, potentially causing a midair collision or other incident,” the release warned.

Border Patrol personnel have come under continued threats in recent months, including a report earlier this week that revealed agents in the field will no longer wear body cameras after a social media post revealed how to exploit the cameras to track and potentially threaten agents by using a Bluetooth application that can be downloaded to a cell phone.

Customs and Border Control agent patrolling on the US side of a razor-wire-covered border wall along the Mexico east of Nogales, Ariz. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“Pending completion of investigation and risk mitigation, all Agents will stand down the use of their BWCs [body worn cameras] until further notice. Additional guidance and information will be disseminated as it is received,” a CBP directive on that issue read.

CBP did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

Michael Lee is a writer for Fox News. Prior to joining Fox News, Michael worked for the Washington Examiner, Bongino.com, and Unbiased America. He has covered politics for more than eight years.

February 18, 2025
House Democrat’s smear of Border Patrol bill backfires after dozens of Dems support it: ‘Fearmongering’

A House Democrat’s strategy to demonize legislation aimed at making it a federal crime to try to evade law enforcement within 100 miles of the border backfired last week after dozens of House Democrats voted in favor of the bill.

“I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 35. Let’s call this bill what it is: fearmongering dressed up as officer safety,” Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Ore., said last week about the bill named after late Border Patrol Agent Raul Gonzalez, who died in a pursuit in 2022.

House Resolution 35 would make individuals convicted of “intentionally fleeing” law enforcement in a vehicle subject to up to two years in prison and fines. If the police chase results in a death, the individual could face up to life imprisonment under the legislation, and potentially face deportation if the person involved is in the country illegally.

SAN DIEGO MIGRANT SHELTER CLOSES AFTER NO NEW ARRIVALS SINCE TRUMP TOOK OFFICE; OVER 100 EMPLOYEES LAID OFF

Oregon State Rep Janelle Bynum faced off against Rep. Lori Chavez DeRemer, right, in OR-05. ( )

“This bill echoes one of the darkest chapters in our nation’s history, ‘The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.’ Just like that shameful law, H.R. 35 forces local authorities and encourages the deputizing of randos to do the federal government’s work, punishing them if they refuse. Back then, it was hunting people down who dared to seek freedom. Today, it’s forcing local police to become federal enforcers,” she continued in her House floor speech.

Regardless, the bill passed 264-155, with 50 Democrats voting in favor, including a handful in border states. The legislation is now in the hands of the Senate, where Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is leading the charge on the proposal.

FLORIDA SHERIFF SAYS ICE PARTNERSHIP ONLY THE BEGINNING IN ILLEGAL MIGRANT CRACKDOWN

Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., leaves the House Republicans’ caucus meeting at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT IMMIGRATION

“This bill delivers a clear message to anyone who endangers our community that they will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., said about the legislation he is sponsoring.

Police pursuits near the border are a frequent site as smugglers hope to evade law enforcement. Under the Trump administration, there has been an across-the-board crackdown on border and immigration policies, including sending in the military to the border as well as deportation raids throughout the country.

A Border Patrol agent walks between a gap along the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico in Yuma, Arizona, on June 1, 2022. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

Bynum started in Congress last month, as she narrowly defeated former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer in November. Chavez-DeRemer is now President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as Labor secretary.

The seat will likely be one of the nation’s most competitive in 2026, according to the Cook Political Report, which ranks the seat as “Lean Democrat.”

“Janelle Bynum’s unglued comments reinforced she’s hellbent on pursuing a dangerous anti-police officer crusade in Congress. Bynum’s extremist vote siding with cartel terrorists over Border Patrol puts Oregonians in danger,” National Republican Campaign Committee spokesman Ben Petersen said in a statement.

Cameron Arcand is a politics writer at Fox News Digital in Washington D.C. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter: @cameron_arcand

February 17, 2025
Border Patrol agents to stop wearing body cameras amid new ‘security threats’

Agents with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will no longer wear body cameras during field operations after a social media post publicized how to identify individual agents.

“All U.S. Border Patrol Agents will cease the use of body-worn cameras (BWC) in all operational environments,” CBP said in a statement to NewsNation, which originally reported the news.

The directive comes after a post on Reddit claimed that the mobile application BLE Radar, which uses Bluetooth to scan for low-energy devices such as phones, smartwatches and speakers, can also track CBP body cameras from a distance of 100 yards and can also trigger improvised explosive devices.

FRUSTRATED CHICAGOANS BACK ICE DEPORTATIONS, APPLAUD DOJ LAWSUIT TARGETING SANCTUARY POLICIES

A Border Patrol agent stands on a cliff looking for migrants that crossed the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico near the city of Sasabe, Arizona. (Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

CBP officials sent out a directive following the post informing agents of a “potential security risk” while immediately pulling body cameras from use in the field.

“Pending completion of investigation and risk mitigation, all Agents will stand down the use of their BWCs [body worn cameras] until further notice. Additional guidance and information will be disseminated as it is received,” the directive said.

Sources told NewsNation that the cameras used by CBP agents are Avon body cams, which the social media post claims are devices BLE Radar, which was developed by F-Droid, can detect.

Border Patrol agents rescue a migrant child abandoned by smugglers. (U.S. Border Patrol)

DAILY AVERAGE OF KNOWN GOTAWAYS AT SOUTHERN BORDER PLUMMETS, DOWN 93% FROM BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HIGHS

The directive comes as both CBP and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have ramped up enforcement efforts in the weeks since President Donald Trump took office, an effort that was a cornerstone of the president’s campaign to return to the White House.

Since the beginning of February, the daily average of gotaways, or illegal immigrants who successfully enter the U.S. without being apprehended, at the southern border has fallen to just 132 per day, a 93% drop from highs seen under former President Joe Biden, a senior Department of Homeland Security source told Fox News.

President Donald J Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House on Jan 31, 2025. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Data obtained by Fox News showed that during FY 2023, 670,674 known gotaways were recorded by the agency, or more than 1,800 per day.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

CBP did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

Fox News’ Bill Melugin and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

Michael Lee is a writer for Fox News. Prior to joining Fox News, Michael worked for the Washington Examiner, Bongino.com, and Unbiased America. He has covered politics for more than eight years.

February 16, 2025
Dems torched over DOGE security claims after allowing ‘wide-open’ border

As Democrats lob claims that President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are a potential national security threat, Republicans are calling them out for what they perceive as hypocrisy after years of weak immigration and foreign policies.

“Being lectured by the Democrats on national security is pretty rich after they spent the last four years sending billions of taxpayer dollars to terrorists, letting suspected terrorists walk through our wide-open southern border and disgracefully retreating from Afghanistan, empowering Iran and kicking off the most destabilizing foreign policy paradigm in a generation,” Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., told Fox News Digital.

Democrats, led by Mark Warner, D-Va., vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, recently pressed White House chief of staff Susie Wiles over their “grave concern” that Musk and DOGE were illegally risking “exposure of classified and other sensitive information that jeopardizes national security and violates Americans’ privacy.”

TRUMP AGRICULTURE PICK CONFIRMED AS PRESIDENT RACKS UP CABINET WINS

Republicans slammed Democrats’ claims that DOGE’s actions potentially threatened U.S. national security. (Getty Images)

One GOP Senate leadership aide remarked to Fox News Digital that it was “absurd” to suggest cutting wasteful spending through DOGE amounts to a security threat.

“This is the Russia hoax all over again, with an attempt to scare Americans by making preposterous claims that Elon Musk is going to steal their identity,” the aide said.

Sheehy added in his response, “America is lucky to have President Trump, Elon and DOGE working to restore accountability and fix our government. Perhaps the Dems should just say ‘thank you’ for cleaning up their mess.”

Warner wrote to Wiles that “unauthorized access to classified information risks exposure of our operations and potentially compromises not only our own sources and methods, but also those of our allies and partners. If our sources, allies, and partners stop sharing intelligence because they cannot trust us to protect it, we will all be less safe.”

TULSI GABBARD SWORN IN AT WHITE HOUSE HOURS AFTER SENATE CONFIRMATION

Elon Musk speaks during an event in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump at the White House Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Images)

The Democratic letter was sent amid uproar over Musk and DOGE’s shake-up of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), followed by other agencies and departments in the executive branch.

As DOGE has pressed on with the effort, Musk has revealed expenditures considered wasteful and the amount of contracts he is instructing agencies to cancel.

DOGE ‘PLAYBOOK’ UNVEILED BY GOP SENATOR AS MUSK-LED AGENCY SHAKES UP FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

Intel Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., pushed back on those claims by his Democratic counterparts, writing on X, “The reaction from the Dem and media to DOGE conducting audits and cutting waste has been downright hysterical. It’s reminiscent of the Russia collusion hoax — a sad and dishonest attempt to scare Americans.”

The Senate GOP leadership aide said, “Senate Republicans are going to keep supporting this crucial work” through DOGE.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

While DOGE continues to scrutinize spending, courts across the country have begun to issue rulings and injunctions limiting the agency’s ability.

Trump and Musk have hit several judicial roadblocks, from a temporary halt to DOGE access to Treasury systems and a restraining order on attempts to shut down USAID.

Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.

Follow Julia’s reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to [email protected].

February 15, 2025
Rubio greenlights waivers to Mexican border security, anti-fentanyl efforts

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is using waivers to keep programs in Mexico and related to border security and anti-fentanyl efforts going amid a federal funding freeze – as he seeks to put pressure on Mexico to increase its efforts.

A senior State Department official told Fox News Digital on Friday that Rubio has been granting waivers to the administration-wide pause on federal funding for efforts under the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Program.

The INL program provides aid to border security agencies in other countries that could pose a threat to the U.S. if narcotics production, organized crime and terrorist activity are allowed to flourish.

MEXICAN TROOPS BEGIN ARRIVING AT US-MEXICO BORDER FOLLOWING DEAL MADE TO PAUSE TRUMP-APPROVED TARIFFS

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio gives a joint news conference with Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader at the National Palace in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)

“INL programs aim to reduce the entry of illegal drugs into the United States and minimize the impact of international crime on the United States and its citizens,” the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website says. That includes programs that target fentanyl smuggling. Illicit fentanyl, which can be fatal in tiny doses, is typically made in Mexico using Chinese precursors and then smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico land border. Fentanyl overdoses kill tens of thousands of Americans each year.

Rubio recently completed a tour of Latin America, where he secured a number of commitments from foreign governments in terms of border security. The official said that INL programming has been coming back online in those countries since that trip.

Reuters reported on Thursday that INL programming in Mexico had been halted, including programs that train Mexican authorities to find and destroy fentanyl labs and to stop precursor chemicals entering Mexico. But the State Department official disputed that, telling Fox News Digital that some Mexican programming has already been granted waivers. Specifically, there has been $5.2M in waivers approved to date for Mexico, with an additional $2.5 million pending resubmission.

They said those waivers included funding for law enforcement in Mexico that has supported the extradition of transnational criminal organization members to the U.S. who have exported fentanyl and smuggled migrants into the U.S. Other programs include a wire intercept program and programs that assist with drug trafficking investigations of cartel members.

MEXICO AGREES TO DEPLOY 10,000 TROOPS TO US BORDER IN EXCHANGE FOR TARIFF PAUSE

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during a press conference at the National Palace, in Mexico City, Mexico January 8, 2025. REUTERS/Henry Romero (REUTERS)

The official said that announcements of those waivers have not been forthcoming because Rubio is planning on visiting Mexico and is hoping to secure additional commitments from Mexico on border security.

“A new administration in the US has taken office, and we need increased commitments on the part of Mexico to assure us that they’re serious when it comes to stopping the flow of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs,” the official said.

The official said there have been some waivers so far because the U.S. wants to show it is a reliable partner, but other programs are being reviewed and “we don’t want to turn them on yet until we know that our Mexican counterparts are going to promise various actions in return.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

One of the areas that the U.S. wishes to see further action on is the rejection of INL assistance by former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who the U.S. previously said had refused to participate in a U.S. program to train and equip Mexican police. The new Sheinbaum administration has now approved part of that assistance, officials say, but has not approved the rest, or eliminated an approval system that caused the blockage. Officials believe Rubio’s visit will confirm Mexico’s commitment and that the announcement of resumption of more INL funding will follow.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The push comes amid a migration-focused start by the Trump administration and the State Department. The administration has secured a number of border-related commitments from Mexico and Canada, as well as promises to accept migrants being returned from Venezuela and Colombia.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.

He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter.

February 14, 2025
Border czar Homan, AOC clash over webinar on ICE

FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan on Friday clashed with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., over a webinar she hosted advising migrants about how to handle an encounter with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“Let’s pray that she is not ‘educating’ the next murderer of a young college nursing student on how to evade arrest by ICE,” Homan told Fox News Digital on Friday. “How many more young women have to be raped, murdered and burned alive until she wakes up?”

Homan had first said on “The Ingraham Angle” that he had emailed the deputy attorney general asking whether Ocasio-Cortez’s hosting of a “Know Your Rights with ICE” event on her Facebook page could count as an impediment to federal law enforcement.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ARRESTS SKYROCKET UNDER TRUMP ICE COMPARED TO BIDEN LEVELS LAST YEAR

Border czar Tom Homan and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. (Getty)

“Is that impeding our law enforcement efforts?” Homan said. “If so, what are we going to do about it? Is she crossing the line? So I’m working with the Department of Justice and finding out. Where is that line that they cross? So maybe AOC is going to be going to be in trouble now.”

During the event, viewers were informed of how to deal with ICE search requests. Migrants were also warned of “ruses” they allege ICE agents employ to get people to comply with searches, while the hosts also touted “trends” in how ICE conducts its searches, which have ramped up in recent weeks under the Trump administration. People were also recommended to record such searches and how to differentiate between different warrants ICE agents are likely to carry.

Ocasio-Cortez did not take part in the webinar but did upload tips to Instagram — via posters in both English and Spanish — and called on her followers to share the posters widely and study them. She also called on her followers to print out the posters and “tape them up in your workplace or keep them by your door.”

“So if ICE comes to your workplace or home, whether you are a citizen or noncitizen – YOU can defend your community and our constitution by exercising your right,” she wrote.

On Thursday, Ocasio-Cortez took to X to mock Homan for suggesting she could be in trouble.

“MaYbe shE’s goiNg to be in TroUble nOw,” she posted.

“Maybe he can learn to read. The Constitution would be a good place to start,” she said.

AOC’S OFFICE ADVISES MIGRANTS ON HOW TO AVOID DEPORTATIONS IN LIVE WEBINAR

A screenshot from the webinar. (Facebook)

In comments to Fox News Digital, Homan said that he was asking the Justice Department for their interpretation of the law regarding impeding and obstruction, and that he is “well aware of the Constitution, but I am also aware that DOJ gives legal interpretations on issues like this to ensure ICE acts in accordance of the law.”

He then suggested Ocasio-Cortez read Title 8 USC 1324 and 8 USC 1325, “statutes enacted by Congress, of which she is a part of.”

“It’s not OK to be in the U.S. illegally. It’s a violation of federal law to enter this country illegally. It is not OK to assist those in the U.S. illegally in furtherance of their illegal entry and unlawful presence. I thought I educated her on this several years ago during congressional testimony.,” he said, referencing a viral clash from the first Trump administration at a congressional hearing.

“She can call it ‘advising those who are illegally in the U.S. of their constitutional rights.’ But we all know it’s really about evading ICE and how not to get arrested and how not to adhere to a federal judge’s order to leave after receiving due process at great taxpayer expense,” he said.

“So if ICE comes to your workplace or home, whether you are a citizen or noncitizen – YOU can defend your community and our constitution by exercising your right,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote. (Getty Images)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

“She obviously believes that we should not enforce laws enacted by Congress. By working against ICE, she is putting those that committed a crime entering this country illegally and those that committed asylum fraud and those who ignored a federal court order of deportation over those that enforce our laws and risk their lives every day trying to keep our communities safe.”

Ocasio-Cortez responded, telling Fox News Digital: “I am glad Mr. Homan is checking with the Department of Justice to familiarize himself with the limits of his agency’s authority in entering the homes of everyday Americans without a warrant. And I am proud to offer civil education to everyday Americans to ensure ICE’s compliance with the law, given the numerous reports of agents providing incorrect paperwork in their attempts to enter and search private homes.”

“Since Mr. Homan seems to be vaguely familiar with U.S. immigration law, we also remind him that according to Congressional statute, becoming undocumented in the United States is a civil offense and not a criminal one. I look forward to continuing our work in ensuring the safety of everyday New Yorkers while keeping families together,” she said.

The clash comes as many left-wing Democrats continue to raise objections to the mass deportation operation launched by the Trump administration. However, some Democrats have also expressed support, with New York City Mayor Eric Adams meeting with Homan on Thursday and agreeing to let ICE agents on to Rikers Island. While New York City is a “sanctuary” city, Adams has expressed openness to deporting criminal illegal immigrants.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital reported earlier on Friday that ICE interior arrests have skyrocketed under the Trump administration compared to the same period during the Biden administration last year, with a 137% increase over last year. Arrests of aliens with criminal histories have soared by nearly 100% from 4,526 in the same period in 2024 to 8,993 under Trump this year.

Fox News’ Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.

He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter.

February 14, 2025
NYC council moderates ‘thrilled’ at Homan visit, pledging to help border czar fight ‘progressive monopoly’

Moderate members of New York City’s otherwise overwhelmingly progressive City Council met with President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, on the same day the lawman met with Mayor Eric Adams.

Homan, himself a New York State native from the Watertown area, joined a meeting of the bipartisan “Common Sense Caucus” led by Councilmembers Bob Holden, D-Glendale, and Joann Ariola, R-Howard Beach.

At the meeting, Homan pledged to act swiftly when informed of another migrant shelter being planned for an outer borough.

Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato told 1010WINS after the meeting that Homan had been incensed to learn that Adams’ Office of Asylum-Seeker Operations had announced a 2,200-bed shelter in the Bronx.

DEMOCRATIC NYC COUNCILMAN BOB HOLDEN BACKS ZELDIN OVER HOCHUL

Tom Homan and NYC skyline (AP/Reuters)

“Get me that address,” Homan reportedly told Marmorato, R-Throggs Neck.

The shelter is planned for a low-income area off the Bruckner Expressway in Mott Haven – not far from the RFK-Triboro Bridge, according to reports.

“Enough is enough,” Marmorato – the only Bronx Republican on council – headlined a press release about “migrant dumps” there.

Holden is a moderate who famously took office in 2017 by unseating a Democrat who outraised him tenfold while running on the endorsed Republican, Conservative and Dump de Blasio ballot lines.

“Today, we had a productive meeting with Tom Homan, the Border Czar, to discuss the serious public safety consequences of sanctuary laws,” Holden said in a statement.

“I have full confidence in Homan and his team to enforce federal laws and keep our communities safe.”

As for Adams’ meeting with Homan, he appreciated the mayor’s acknowledgment of the crisis, but added, “words are not enough – he needs to take real action.”

BLUE CITY POLICE SERGEANTS SAY THEY’RE PAID LESS THAN SUBORDINATES AS BILLIONS GO TO MIGRANTS

Adams, who on Thursday also pledged to work with the feds to fight gang proliferation at the city’s Rikers Island prison, announced executive action to reopen an ICE facility on the island in Hell Gate.

Holden called the move a “significant first step” toward prioritizing New York City public safety.

“I first pitched the idea of reopening the ICE office in December, and I’m glad to see action finally being taken. Thank you to Tom Homan for his leadership on this issue.”

Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, a Brighton Beach Republican and immigrant from Ukraine, noted that her family “came here legally” and slammed the “top-down failures” of the Biden era.

“It’s a thrill to have a man of action leading immigration and border enforcement,” Vernikov said on X, formerly Twitter, adding that she was unable to make the meeting itself but sent a staffer in her stead.

“The consensus is that we are all done with the media and leftist politicians making excuses for lawbreaking,” she said, adding that she had paved her own path to legal citizenship and now practices immigration law.

“Illegal immigration is destroying this city and is offensive to citizens. Full stop. If the mayor won’t revoke sanctuary city status, I expect the Trump administration will provide very compelling and hard-hitting incentives to do so.”

Ariola, who took over as the caucus’ GOP co-chair upon longtime Staten Island Councilman Joe Borelli’s retirement, said on X that “we need change – we need it now.”

Councilman David Carr, R-New Dorp, also tweeted about the Homan meeting, saying New York needs to stop “shielding” migrants from ICE.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

ri

Councilwoman Vickie Paladino, R-Whitestone, reacted to the meeting by pledging to double her efforts to fight the crisis.

“Despite the progressive monopoly in this city, I plan to use whatever power I have, in partnership with the Trump Administration wherever possible, to keep my district and my constituents safe,” she said.

Democrats currently hold a 44-5 supermajority on the council, with one vacancy from each party.

One caucusmember, however, skipped the meeting with Homan, saying that she had a scheduling conflict and that “not every immigrant is a criminal.”

“I am an immigrant. No one can ever tell me about the challenges faced by newcomers to New York and to this nation,” Councilwoman Susan Zhuang, who was born in China, told City & State.

“Find the criminals and deport them, yes. But leave decent hard-working families alone,” said Zhuang, D-Dyker Heights.

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].

February 14, 2025
Adams vows to let ICE agents work at Rikers Island after meeting with border czar

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday said a plan was being worked on to allow federal immigration authorities to operate on Rikers Island following a meeting with border czar Tom Homan, a significant step given the city’s sanctuary policies.

Adams met with Homan during a closed-door meeting. In a statement, he said an executive order was being worked on to “reestablish the ability for ICE agents to operate on Rikers Island — as was the case for 20 years.”

“But now, instead, ICE agents would specifically be focused on assisting the correctional intelligence bureau in their criminal investigations, in particular those focused on violent criminals and gangs,” he added.

TOM HOMAN BELIEVES ICE RAID LEAKS ARE ‘COMING FROM INSIDE’ AS AURORA LEAKER CLOSER TO BEING IDENTIFIED

The Rikers Island jail complex is seen with the Manhattan skyline in the background on June 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Adams said the pair discussed how to combat violent migrant gangs and embedding more New York Police Department officers into federal task forces.

Unlike many blue city mayors, Adams has expressed interest in working with the Trump administration to crack down on illegal immigration in an effort to combat crime.

He noted that New York shouldered a larger number of migrants transported to blue cities from the southern border.

“New York City has been forced to shoulder the burden of a national humanitarian crisis where more than 230,000 migrants have come to our city seeking support, at a cost of approximately $7 billion, with little help from the previous administration,” Adams said.

AG PAM BONDI VOWS TO ‘FIGHT BACK’ AGAINST JUDGES BLOCKING TRUMP’S ANTI-CORRUPTION AGENDA

Border czar Tom Homan, left, met with New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday to discuss the city’s ongoing migrant crisis. (Getty Images)

“That is why I have been clear that I want to work with the new federal administration, not war with them, to find common ground and make better the lives of New Yorkers,” he added.

The meeting came days after the Justice Department ordered federal prosecutors to drop a bribery case against Adams.

Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove sent a letter to the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) on Monday, instructing the SDNY to drop the federal case against Adams and dismiss it without prejudice.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams sits down for an interview with Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum. (Fox News / The Story)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

In response, Acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon resigned on Thursday in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has taken a hard stance against sanctuary cities. On Wednesday, Bondi put New York and other cities on notice.

“This is a new DOJ,” she told reporters while announcing a lawsuit against New York state and government officials. “New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. It stops. It stops today.”

February 14, 2025
‘I will not rest’: Border state gubernatorial hopeful launches campaign weeks after Trump backed her

FIRST ON FOX: Arizona Republican Karrin Taylor Robson launched her comeback gubernatorial bid on Wednesday, setting up a likely showdown between her and another pro-Trump Republican running to take on the incumbent Democrat governor next year.

Robson, a small business owner and lawyer, launched her campaign with a new ad centered on President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and her desire to help take back her state from incumbent Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.

Robson lost her primary bid in 2022 to Trump-backed Republican nominee Kari Lake, who would go on to narrowly lose the gubernatorial race to Hobbs. However, Robson garnered early support from Trump less than two months ago during his visit to Arizona as president-elect.

TRUMP’S HOUSE ALLIES UNVIEL BILL ‘HAND IN HAND’ WITH DOGE CRACKDOWN

President Donald Trump said less than two months ago that Karrin Taylor Robson would have his “support” if she ran for governor. (Fox News)

“I thank President Trump for his strong endorsement and look forward to working with him to secure our border and make Arizona safe again,” Robson said in a statement first obtained by Fox News Digital. “Katie Hobbs has made it harder to live, work, and raise a family safely in this state. Like President Trump, I know how to create jobs. And like President Trump, I will not rest until our border is secure and Arizona families are safe,” she continued.

“Katie Hobbs and Joe Biden’s insane agenda has made life more expensive and dangerous,” Robson stated. “I will fight every day alongside President Trump for stronger borders, a stronger economy, and a stronger Arizona.

President Trump said Robson would have his support if she ran for governor while he was delivering remarks at Turning Point Action’s AmericaFest in December.

“Are you running for governor? I think so, Karrin, ’cause if you do you’re gonna have my support, OK?” Trump said at the time.

TRUMP BUDGET CHIEF VOUGHT TELLS GOP SENATORS $175B NEEDED ‘IMMEDIATELY’ FOR BORDER SECURITY

This undated photo provided by the Karrin for Arizona Campaign, shows Karrin Taylor Robson. (Karrin For Arizona Campaign via AP)

Cook Political Report ranks the general election race as a “toss-up,” likely making it one of the most competitive races in the upcoming midterms. Border security and the economy are expected to be among the top issues in the state, as the Grand Canyon State is on the frontlines of the major policy changes of the new White House.

Despite a bitter primary battle in 2022, Robson ultimately endorsed Lake and Trump in their general election campaigns in 2024.

However, supporters of Rep. Andy Biggs hope that the president will shift gears and back his campaign instead, given his strong political agreements with him.

The congressman, who helped lead the removal of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, has so far gained the endorsements of Reps. Lauren Boebert, Paul Gosar and Eli Crane.

“Andy Biggs is the greatest thing since sliced bread,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said on X last week. “Arizonans, do yourselves a big favor and elect this man as your next governor!”

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., speaks at a press conference on the debt limit and the Freedom Caucus’s plan for spending reduction at the U.S. Capitol on March 28, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Meanwhile, the “Building A Better Arizona PAC” launched last month backing Robson, who formerly served on the Arizona Board of Regents. Former Arizona Republican Party Chairman Robert Graham and former Arizona Senate President Karen Fann created the group.

The primary is Aug. 4, 2026. It’s unclear if Hobbs will face a major challenger in the Democratic primary.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment, but they did not respond in time for publication.

February 12, 2025