Community Leaders Denounce Border Czar Tom Homan’s Visit to Rochester Amid Sanctuary City Clash
- Dave McCleary
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
Community leaders across Rochester are speaking out against today’s visit by Border Czar Tom Homan, as tensions escalate between local officials and the Trump administration over the city’s sanctuary policies and recent federal lawsuits.
Homan arrived in Rochester just a day after the Trump administration filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging noncompliance with federal immigration enforcement. His visit comes amid a national debate over immigration policy and the role of local governments in federal enforcement efforts.
Mayor Malik Evans called Homan’s presence “unprecedented” and accused the federal government of targeting Rochester unfairly. “We have never seen anything like this in our city’s history,” Evans said. “They forget we are the city of Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony.” The mayor pledged to defend Rochester’s values and its people, warning that federal actions were “breeding division and deception.”
Evans likened Rochester’s struggle to a David and Goliath battle: “You know what we got here in Rochester? We got a lot of slingshots. And all these slingshots—they represent thousands of people.”
U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle (D-Rochester) condemned the visit from Washington, calling the administration’s immigration policies “inhumane, illegal, and antithetical to American values.”
“How does deporting a four-year-old undergoing cancer treatment make America safer?” Morelle asked. “It doesn’t. It’s just cruel.”
State Senator Jeremy Cooney, whose district includes Rochester, joined the chorus of criticism: “Today’s visit by Tom Homan is just another example of the Trump administration attempting to use hate and fear to divide our communities.”
Rochester City Council, in a unified statement, reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining sanctuary city protections. “Rochester’s Sanctuary City policy reflects the values of all those in our city fighting for a better future for themselves, their children, and their community,” the Council stated. “Diversity is Rochester’s greatest strength.”
City Councilmember and Mayoral Candidate Mary Lupien tied Homan’s visit to broader threats against local autonomy, citing the recent court ruling that stripped the Police Accountability Board of authority. “Homan is here to deepen distrust between residents and police,” she said. “We will not abandon our neighbors or our values.”
The New York Civil Liberties Union called Homan’s actions part of a broader effort to “manufacture a fake crisis” and force local police to act as immigration agents. “Commandeering local police as ICE agents does nothing to make communities safer,” said NYCLU organizer Shay Herbert. “No amount of bullying will change that.”
Several members of the Greater Rochester Area State Delegation, including Senators Samra Brouk and Jeremy Cooney, and Assemblymembers Sarah Clark, Demond Meeks, Harry Bronson, and Jen Lunsford, issued a joint statement defending the city’s sanctuary status.
“We reject the federal administration’s racist, fear-based policies,” the lawmakers said. “We are proud to collaborate with our community on policies rooted in compassion and justice for all families.”
Not all voices were opposed to Homan’s visit. Monroe County Republican Committee Chairman Patrick Reilly welcomed both the visit and the federal lawsuit, claiming Rochester’s sanctuary policies “shelter and protect criminals” and jeopardize public safety.
“The people of Monroe County deserve leaders who stand up for our safety,” Reilly said. “We support our law enforcement officers in their time of need.”
As demonstrations and press conferences unfolded throughout the city, Rochester stood at the center of a growing national flashpoint—one that, according to local leaders, will determine more than just immigration policy.
“This is about who we are,” said Mayor Evans. “And Rochester will not be intimidated.”
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