Mayor Adams on FOX with border czar in NYC: 'If he doesn’t deliver, I’ll be back'

NEW YORK - New York City Mayor Eric Adams and President Donald Trump’s border czar Thomas Homan appeared together on "FOX & Friends" after agreeing to allow federal immigration officials to operate at Rikers Island, a decision signaling a shift in the city's sanctuary city policies. 

During the interview, Adams faced tough questions about the implications of the move, including whether the Justice Department's decision to drop his corruption case was a form of quid pro quo and whether he plans to run as a Republican in the upcoming election.

Why you should care:

"If he [Adams] doesn't come through, I'll be back in New York City," Homan said in the interview Friday, highlighting the pressure Adams faces to cooperate with the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. 

What else did Adams say?

What they're saying:

The interview appeared tense at times, with Adams occasionally struggling to speak and needing to clarify that he was aligned with the border czar.

Homan made it clear that he came to New York to get results and wasn’t leaving without them. 

"I wasn't going to leave with nothing," Homan said.  "I did the last time and I told them I'm not leaving until I got something and we got back into Rikers. That's huge," he added. "Now I got him on the couch in front of millions of people." 

Homan's opinion of Adams

Homan, who has often criticized Adams on public safety, acknowledged a shift in his perspective after meeting with the mayor, saying, "I've called the mayor out many times for not stepping up with public safety threats, but when I sat down with him, I saw the cop in him."

Adams on sanctuary city status

When asked about whether New York City should remain a sanctuary city, Adams firmly reiterated his stance. "We will always be. This has always been a city of immigrants," he said. Despite Homan's frustration with local policies, Adams emphasized the city’s commitment to its immigrant roots.

Adams talks about his corruption case

When asked about the resignation of Manhattan's top prosecutor over his corruption charges, Adams dismissed the issue, calling it "silly" that it took three weeks for her to report criminal actions. "She took three weeks to report in front of her a criminal action. Come on, this is silly," Adams said.

Adams on Gov. Hochul

On the topic of New York Governor Kathy Hochul's suggestion that Adams could be removed from office, Adams remained confident. " She has a role. I have my role," he said. 

"My attorney will handle the legal part. I'm going to handle running the city," Adams added.

Homan didn’t hold back in criticizing Governor Hochul, calling her an embarrassment. 

Adams on running as a Republican

Amid speculation about a possible party switch, Adams said he would remain a Democrat. 

Steve Doocy pushed back, citing Adams' poll numbers trailing Cuomo, but Adams remained resolute, responding, "People had me gone months ago. But you know what? I'm sitting on your couch."

New York City and ICE's troubled relationship

The backstory:

Homan met with Adams at a federal office building in Manhattan as the Trump administration pushes for more help detaining and deporting people accused of crimes. 

ICE has long had a contentious relationship with New York, which has rules and laws limiting police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. 

For two decades, ICE agents were allowed to operate on Rikers Island, but this authority was revoked in 2014 under sanctuary policies. 

Under current city policy, immigration officials cannot request that city jails hold individuals wanted for civil immigration violations beyond their regular release times. 

New York City has also passed measures restricting ICE's access to public schools and other city properties. 

While Adams has expressed support for loosening these sanctuary policies, he acknowledges that, as mayor, he lacks the broad authority to make such changes on his own.

Adams under pressure 

Dig deeper:

Despite being a Democrat, Adams has positioned himself as a nonpartisan figure, maintaining favorable ties to Trump. 

Although Adams has publicly denied rumors that he’s considering a run in the Republican primary, the ongoing scrutiny surrounding his connections to Trump and his stance on ICE could make him vulnerable within the Democratic party. 

The decision is likely to fuel even more debates over immigration enforcement in New York City. 

Complicating matters even more is the fact that the DOJ instructed federal prosecutors to dismiss corruption charges against Adams, a move that led to the resignation of Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor, Danielle Sassoon, and five other high-ranking Justice Department officials on Thursday after she refused to drop the charges. 

Adams pleaded not guilty last September to charges of accepting over $100,000 in illegal campaign contributions and luxury perks, including flight upgrades and hotel stays, from individuals seeking to buy his influence. 

He denies any wrongdoing.

Eric Adams