Border Czar Backs Rochester Police After Immigration Stop; Local Leaders Push Back

U.S. Border Czar Thomas Homan is backing Rochester police officers who assisted Border Patrol agents during a traffic stop last Monday, despite criticism from city officials and community leaders who say the officers violated the city’s sanctuary policy.

RPD Officers were captured on video assisting border control during a traffic stop March 25, 2025

“I stand with the officers of the Rochester, New York Police Department that answered the emergency assistance call from the U.S. Border Patrol,” Homan said on “X” (formerly Twitter). “Law enforcement officers should not be abandoned in the time of need because of politics. Sanctuary policies endanger our police and the public.”

The March 24 incident occurred when Rochester police responded to a request for assistance from Border Patrol agents during a traffic stop involving a van with eight occupants. Officers were seen removing individuals from the vehicle and placing them in handcuffs—actions Mayor Malik Evans and Police Chief David Smith say crossed the line.

“Our officers are not to be enforcing immigration law,” Smith said in a press conference. “We are not to be handcuffing or detaining individuals on behalf of federal immigration authorities.”

Rochester has held sanctuary city status since 1986, prohibiting city police from aiding in federal immigration enforcement. City officials have launched an internal investigation and promised further training for the officers involved.

The incident has become a flashpoint in the city’s political landscape. City Councilmember Mary Lupien, a declared candidate in the upcoming mayoral race, criticized both the officers’ actions and Homan’s presence in Rochester.

“I’ve seen the video—and it’s disturbing,” Lupien said. “The Trump administration sent its border czar to Rochester today to back police who violated our Sanctuary City policy.”

Fellow Councilmember Stanley Martin took an even stronger stance, calling on Evans and Smith to fire the officers involved.

“Those officers need to be fired to let the community know if you’re an immigrant, you are safe here in Rochester,” Martin said. “In a moment when the Trump Administration is detaining and disappearing people across our country, Rochester must stand firm and defend our immigrant community.”

Meanwhile, Homan met with representatives of the Rochester Police Locust Club, the city’s police union, and pledged continued support. The union has defended the officers’ actions, saying they acted in good faith to assist federal partners in a safety-sensitive situation.

State Republican leaders have joined Homan in criticizing city leadership. Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt called the city's response "abhorrent" and warned of a "dangerous precedent" being set.

The investigation into the officers’ actions remains ongoing, as the debate over sanctuary policies and the role of local police in immigration enforcement continues to intensify.