Sanctuary Cities Asked to Work With ICE

A former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) New York field office director has said he wants sanctuary cities to cooperate with the agency.

Tom Decker told Newsweek, “I hope they look at the sanctuary city policies and get rid of them. It’s hurting the community that it’s supposed to protect.”

Why It Matters

ICE has been thrust to the forefront of the national conversation surrounding Donald Trump’s administration and its immigration enforcement policies.

Trump made immigration a core component of his successful presidential campaign, with Americans largely supporting reform overall, but disagreeing about how policies such as deportations should be carried out.

A New York Times/Ipsos poll between January 2 and 10 found that 55 percent of voters strongly or somewhat supported deportations. Eighty-eight percent supported “deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have criminal records.” Large majorities of both Democrats and Republicans agreed that the immigration system is broken.

What To Know

New York City has had more than 225,000 asylum seekers arrive over the past two and a half years, while its wider 4.4 million immigrant population included an estimated 602,700 undocumented people at last count.

In an exclusive interview with Newsweek, Decker, who led the ICE field office in New York before retiring in 2022, argued that sanctuary city policies, which limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal authorities on immigration matters, are detrimental to both public safety and the immigrant communities they aim to protect.

Decker’s comments come as immigration enforcement remains a highly charged issue in the United States, especially in light of the Trump administration’s strong stance on the issue. He pointed to New York City as a key example of a sanctuary jurisdiction, reiterating his desire for local authorities to work more closely with ICE.

An example of what Decker desires can be seen in a county in the Long Island suburbs of New York City, which is partnering with federal authorities as part of former Trump’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants.

Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican and Trump supporter, announced Tuesday that 10 county police detectives would be granted the same authority as federal immigration agents, allowing them to collaborate in detaining undocumented immigrants who have been charged with other crimes.

“Nassau County is the safest county in America because our leaders do not allow politics to get in the way of local law enforcement working with their partners to actually enforce the law and help keep our citizens safe,” State Senator Steven Rhoads told Newsweek.

“I wish New York City would do the same thing and work with us and work with ICE,” Decker said. “It doesn’t make sense that they pass policies that would threaten the community that they’re supposed to be there to protect.

“Being a sanctuary city goes against the people you’re trying to protect within the community because what they’re doing is protecting the people that are violating and committing criminal acts against their own population in the community [in which] they live.”

Decker, who began his career with the Immigration and Naturalization Service in 1993, believes that sanctuary policies ultimately “backfire,” undermining law enforcement efforts and putting communities at risk. He pointed out that such policies, particularly in places like New York City, hinder local authorities’ ability to turn over criminal immigrants to federal agents.

Decker went on to hold roles in deportation in New Jersey before being appointed field office director in Philadelphia in 2004. In January 2017, he was named field office director for the New York office, a position he held until his retirement in July 2022.

He has been a vocal opponent of sanctuary city policies.

“The sanctuary policy prevents the NYPD and Department of Corrections from turning them over to us. So what happens is they’re right back in their community committing the crimes again,” Decker said.

He argues that this creates a dangerous cycle, leaving residents fearful and frustrated. “People in the community are scared because they know that even if these criminals get picked up, they’ll be back out on the streets just hours later,” he said. “That’s a problem.”

“Law enforcement is supposed to work together to protect the community and protect the safety of the people, and they’re being restricted and handcuffed by the sanctuary laws, the policies that the council put out in New York City,” Decker said.

One of the most contentious aspects of ICE’s operations is its collaboration with local law enforcement.

ICE is expected to increase its partnerships with local police forces as Trump pledged to enlist federal and state authorities to carry out mass removals.

Local police officers who have been “deputized” are given authority to enforce federal immigration laws. This typically happens through agreements such as the 287(g) program, in which local law officials assist with immigration enforcement activities. This partnership could result in more coordinated sweeps and actions in cities and towns.

Trump officials have vowed to crack down on Democrats who refuse to cooperate with ICE and have threatened to withhold federal funding from states that do not comply.

During a border visit, Tom Homan, who serves as the president’s “border czar,” warned progressives not to oppose the mass deportation operations. “Don’t cross that line,” he said.

Ronald Vitiello, who served as acting director of ICE from June 2018 to April 2019, told Newsweek that sanctuary cities should be sanctioned if they don’t fully cooperate with ICE.

“This whole idea of the sanctuary cities and disregarding federal law as it relates to immigration, I think that needs to be taken on,” Vitiello said.

Meanwhile, one Democratic Party donor, who supports those vulnerable to federal immigration policies, said there was unease within his circles that sanctuary cities, where local governments limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, could be targeted.

The donor, speaking on condition of anonymityover concerns that those he helps could be targeted, told Newsweek: “I cannot speak to the broader Democratic ecosystem, but in my circles, there is little doubt that sanctuary cities will be targeted.

As the debate over the issue continues, Decker’s comments highlight the growing tension between sanctuary cities prioritizing immigrants’ rights and federal agencies focused on enforcing immigration law.