President Donald Trump’s so-called border czar, Tom Homan, was in Albany on Wednesday, backing a Republican-led effort to reverse New York’s immigration policies.

The visit comes as Gov. Kathy Hochul faces a lawsuit over the state’s driver’s license law by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.

What You Need To Know

  • "Border czar" Tom Homan's visit to Albany Wednesday comes as Gov. Kathy Hochul faces a lawsuit over the state’s driver's license law by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi

  • Homan said the green card status of Mahmoud Khalil, the pro-Palestinian protester arrested, doesn’t give him the same free speech rights as U.S.-born or naturalized citizens

  • Homan’s rhetoric appears to be an escalation against New York’s immigration policies, like the green light law that grants undocumented immigrants drivers’ licenses while barring federal agents from accessing state records

Homan tried to justify the arrest of a pro-Palestinian activist in Manhattan.

“We consider it a national security threat,” he told reporters during a press conference in the State Capitol.

“When you’re on campus and I hear ‘freedom of speech, freedom of speech’, can you stand in a movie theater and yell fire? Can you slander somebody verbally?” he continued. “Free speech has limitations, but when you go on a college campus and you incite protests and locking down and taking over buildings and damaging property and handing out leaflets for Hamas, who is a terrorist organization.”

On Wednesday in Albany, Homan said Mahmoud Khalil’s green card status doesn’t give him the same free speech rights as U.S.-born or naturalized citizens.

“Coming to this country either on a visa or becoming a resident alien is a great privilege, but there are rules associated with that. You may have been able to get away with that under the last administration, but you won’t under this administration,” Homan said.

Homan’s rhetoric appears to be an escalation against New York’s immigration policies, like the green light law that grants undocumented immigrants drivers’ licenses while barring federal agents from accessing state records.

“You can’t access the DMV data,” Homan said.

Some elected officials objected to the visit.

“He’s pushing nasty, hateful, racist policies,” State Assemblywoman Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, a Queens Democrat, said.

Homan has previously met with Mayor Eric Adams — ordering him to reverse New York’s sanctuary city status and allow immigration enforcement agents onto Rikers Island for detainee interrogations.

“He wants to help make New York City safer by removing illegal aliens who shouldn’t be here, have committed a crime against U.S. citizens. He understands that the illegal alien crime in New York City has skyrocketed under this administration. He wants to decrease it, he wants to end it,” Homan said, adding that he gave Adams a to-do list.

“He doesn’t wanna be an immigration officer. I don’t wanna be an immigration officer. But the mere fact is, he wants to get us into Rikers Island,” Homan added.

Homan says Hochul targeted Adams.

“The governor runs down there and wants to fire him because he’s working with Tom Homan,” Homan said.

Although, Homan doesn’t think it has to do with Adams’ ongoing criminal case, rather, his closeness with the White House.

“New York State, you gotta change the sanctuary status. If you don’t, get out of the way. Because we’re going to do our job,” Homan said.

A spokesman for the governor went on the offense over Homan’s charges against New York.

“Governor Hochul has been clear with New Yorkers: she supports secure borders and deporting violent criminals, but won’t let New York help the Trump Administration tear babies away from their parents,” spokesman Avi Small said. “This isn’t the first time Trump Administration officials have lied about our policies — and it probably won’t be the last — but Governor Hochul is staying focused on keeping New Yorkers safe.”