New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, appears to be channeling his inner common-sense conservative as he openly signals his willingness to work with President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming border czar, Tom Homan, to deport illegal immigrants who commit crimes. With New York City teetering under the weight of the Biden-Harris migrant crisis, Adams made it clear that he’s done playing games with the left’s outrage machine.
Adams didn’t mince words about his city’s safety. “Those who are here committing crimes, robberies, shooting at police officers, raping innocent people, have been a harm to our country,” he said. “I want to sit down with the border czar and hear his thoughts on how we’re going to address those who harm our citizens.” And in a moment of classic rhetorical jujitsu, Adams reminded the left of their own inconvenient past. “Google Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama,” he quipped. “They said ‘those who commit crimes need to get out right away.’ This is not a new position.”
Adams didn’t stop there. In a swipe at cancel culture, he declared, “Well, cancel me, because I’m going to protect the people of this city. And if you come into this country and think you’re going to harm innocent New Yorkers and migrants, this is not the mayor you want to be in the city under.” The message was clear: virtue signaling won’t cut it when public safety is on the line.
Homan, Trump’s pick to spearhead what he’s calling the largest deportation operation in U.S. history, is ready to hit the ground running. The former ICE director has vowed to carry out these efforts “in a humane manner” while targeting those who pose the greatest threat to public safety. With over 58,000 convicted felons and individuals facing charges reportedly among the illegal migrants in New York City, according to ICE data, Homan’s mission is nothing short of monumental.
Adams has had enough of the Biden-Harris administration’s neglect, calling out their lack of support for the city as it struggles under the strain of the migrant influx. In September, he warned that the crisis could “destroy” New York City. And while some Democratic leaders, like California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, are threatening to obstruct Trump’s deportation plans, Adams is at least pretending to have a grip on reality—for now.
This marks yet another moment where Democrats are forced to reckon with the chaos their policies have created. Adams’ rhetoric may upset the woke left, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that his city’s safety depends on ditching the disastrous “open borders” mentality. Trump’s plan to restore law and order is exactly what the country needs, and leaders like Homan are the ones who will make it happen. For New Yorkers, this isn’t about party politics; it’s about survival.
