The Department of Homeland Security has reached out to NYPD officers after Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral victory, urging them to consider joining Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The recruitment post emphasized respect for officers, addressing concerns that some may leave the force under the new administration. The move follows earlier federal campaigns aimed at hiring thousands of new ICE officers, particularly in sanctuary cities.

President Donald Trump, a vocal critic of Mamdani, has threatened to withhold federal funds if New York refuses to cooperate with immigration enforcement. Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has said he is willing to work with the president on local economic issues but remains firm in his opposition to aggressive federal immigration tactics. He stated that “everyone will be held to the same standard of the law,” emphasizing accountability and transparency.

New York’s sanctuary policies have long limited cooperation with ICE, though federal agents can still operate independently in the city. As Mamdani prepares to take office, his criticism of ICE as a “rogue agency” and his pledge to resist deportations suggest continued tension between city leadership and federal authorities over immigration enforcement.