With Nassau’s Bruce Blakeman posing a strong challenge, Gov. Kathy Hochul seems eager to redirect her re-election campaign against President Donald Trump instead. In a move appearing to target voter support, she announced $7 million in emergency funding to provide legal aid for migrant minors who already have legal representation.
Hochul’s strategy appears focused on garnering votes by shielding New Yorkers from ICE, but critics argue she is overlooking genuine threats.
Recently, she teamed up with Mayor Zohran Mamdani and State Attorney General Tish James to reveal $7.25 million aimed at securing attorneys for approximately 1,400 migrant children facing deportation proceedings, including around 250 in detention. They asserted this was necessary because the Trump administration had withdrawn federal support, effectively “abandoning” these children.
However, Border czar Tom Homan refuted this claim, stating that the administration had not cut funding but had instead transitioned to a more effective contract providing better legal representation for the children. He emphasized that under this new contract, every child at a hearing had legal representation.
Homan also criticized Hochul for her “sanctuary” policies, which he argued protect violent criminals who cross borders illegally from deportation.
He highlighted the state’s refusal to comply with federal detainers, noting that New York had rejected 14,000 detainers during his tenure. This included 6,800 individuals with assault convictions, 800 with convictions for crimes against children, and 770 for rape and other sex offenses.
Homan’s conclusion was blunt: “Don’t tell me you’re trying to protect children! You’re releasing predators to the street every day across the state.”
The $7 million expenditure by Hochul is minor in comparison to a state budget that has ballooned to $280 billion during her term. However, Homan contends she bears responsibility for any resulting harm due to her resistance to deporting dangerous offenders.
