Community Leaders Reject Border Czar Tom Homan’s Visit to Rochester Amid Sanctuary City Debate

Rochester is at the center of a growing national political storm after community leaders spoke out against the visit of former ICE director Tom Homan, sent by the Trump administration to challenge the city’s sanctuary policies.

Rochester City Council President Miguel Melendez stands by in support as Mayor Malik Evans addresses Border Czar Tom Homan's visit to Rochester and the Trump administration's targeting of Rochester's Sanctuary City designation

Homan’s visit comes just one day after the federal government filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming Rochester is not cooperating with immigration authorities. In response, local and state leaders are standing firm, defending the dignity of immigrants and the city’s right to protect its communities.

Mayor Malik Evans called Homan’s visit “unprecedented” and accused the federal government of unfairly targeting Rochester. “We are the city of Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony. Don’t forget that,” said Evans. “We will defend our values and our people. What this administration is doing is spreading division and lies.”

Comparing the situation to the biblical story of David and Goliath, Evans said, “Here in Rochester, we’ve got a lot of slingshots. And those slingshots represent thousands of people ready to defend their community.”

From Washington, Congressman Joe Morelle also strongly criticized the administration’s immigration policy, calling it “inhumane, illegal, and contrary to American values.”

“How does deporting a four-year-old undergoing cancer treatment make the country safer?” Morelle asked. “It doesn’t. It’s simply cruel.”

State Senator Jeremy Cooney, who represents Rochester, added: “Tom Homan’s visit is just another attempt by the Trump administration to divide us using hate and fear.”

The Rochester City Council issued a joint statement reaffirming its commitment to the city’s sanctuary policy: “This policy reflects the values of everyone in our city fighting for a better future for themselves and their families. Diversity is our greatest strength.”

City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Mary Lupien connected Homan’s visit to broader threats to local control, pointing to a recent court ruling that weakened the powers of the Police Accountability Board. “Homan is here to deepen the distrust between residents and police,” she said. “But we will not abandon our neighbors or our principles.”

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) also condemned the visit, calling it part of a campaign to “manufacture a crisis” and pressure local police to act as immigration agents. “Forcing local officers to do ICE’s job does not make anyone safer,” said NYCLU organizer Shay Herbert. “No amount of bullying will change that.”

Members of the Greater Rochester Area’s 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 fear-based, racist policies,” they said. “We’re committed to working with our community to create policies rooted in compassion and justice for all families.”

Not all voices were opposed to Homan’s visit. Monroe County Republican Committee Chair Patrick Reilly welcomed both the visit and the federal lawsuit. “Sanctuary policies protect criminals and put our safety at risk,” he said. “We support our law enforcement officers.”

As protests, press conferences, and peaceful demonstrations spread across the city, local leaders insisted that the fight is about more than immigration policy.

“This is about who we are,” said Mayor Evans. “And in Rochester, we will not be intimidated.”