Tom Homan has publicly stated that ICE operations will increase in sanctuary cities including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle, targeting jurisdictions he claims are releasing public safety threats daily.
Mostly True
Tom Homan says ICE ops will ramp up in Chicago, New York, LA, Portland & Seattle — targeting sanctuary cities he claims are “releasing threats every day.”
New York, LA, Portland, Seattle and Chicago to See Ramped Up ICE Ops, Says Trump Admin - Newsweek
Source: newsweek.com
At a glance
Verified September 4, 2025Key Evidence
Multiple news outlets including Just The News, Newsweek, Los Angeles Times, and Fox News report Tom Homan's announcement of ramped-up ICE operations in Chicago, New York, LA, Portland, and Seattle.
The Center Square quotes Homan stating sanctuary cities are releasing public safety threats daily.
Local responses indicate pushback against increased federal enforcement in these jurisdictions.
The reporting
What the Evidence Shows
Multiple independent sources from late August and early September 2025 confirm that Tom Homan, serving as a border advisor or 'border czar,' announced plans to ramp up Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in several major U.S. Cities identified as sanctuary jurisdictions. These cities include Seattle, Portland, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. The statements emphasize a federal crackdown on sanctuary cities that allegedly do not cooperate with ICE enforcement efforts.
Specifically:
Sources such as Just The News, Everett Post, and The Center Square report Homan's comments about increased ICE activity in Seattle and Portland after Labor Day.justthenews.comjustthenews.comBorder czar Tom Homan says ICE operations will ramp up for Seattle, Portland...
everettpost.comeverettpost.comBorder czar says ICE ops will ramp up for Seattle, Portland after Labor Day+1 more
Newsweek and Los Angeles Times confirm the inclusion of Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles among targeted cities.newsweek.comnewsweek.comNew York, LA, Portland, Seattle and Chicago to See Ramped Up ICE Ops, Says Trump...
latimes.comlatimes.comICE will 'ramp up' immigration raids in L.A., other 'sanctuary cities,' border...
Fox News highlights Homan putting sanctuary cities 'on notice' as part of a broader Justice Department crackdown.foxnews.comfoxnews.comTom Homan puts sanctuary cities 'on notice' as Trump administration cracks down...
The Center Square quotes Homan claiming these jurisdictions are "releasing public safety threat illegal aliens to the streets every day," which aligns with the claim about "releasing threats every day."thecentersquare.comthecentersquare.comBorder czar says ICE ops will ramp up for Seattle, Portland after Labor Day |...
While the operational ramp-up is confirmed by multiple sources quoting Homan, the characterization of sanctuary cities as "releasing threats every day" is a claim made by Homan reflecting his perspective and the administration's stance. Independent verification of the frequency or nature of such releases is not provided in these sources.
Therefore, the factual elements about planned ICE operational increases in these cities are well-supported. The framing of sanctuary cities as releasing threats daily is a stated claim by Homan but lacks independent corroboration within the provided sources.
Primary trail
Verified Sources7
Open source