Tom Homan calmly eats apple near enraged pro-illegal immigration protesters

Cold as ICE.

Chaotic scenes broke out at the New York state Capitol in Albany on Wednesday as raging pro-illegal immigration activists and Democrat lawmakers attempted to confront Border Czar Homan over his immigration clampdown efforts.

But the tough-talking Homan, who has become the face of the Trump administration’s hardline immigration policies, was unfazed and was caught on video casually walking past the demonstrators chomping on an apple surrounded by protesters.

“No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here,” the enraged crowd can be heard chanting just as Homan comes into the shot, giving a wry smile and chomping on his fruit snack while surrounded by Republican lawmakers and state troopers.

Video then shows the ice-cold Homan taking a big bite into the apple as he then unflinchingly walks the gauntlet by strolling past the furious demonstrators, who get louder and more animated by the second.  

Several protesters, including Assembly member Jessica González-Rojas, could be seen holding purple signs with the Spanish words “juntos somos mas,” which translates to “together we are more,” while others carried signs reading “seeking refuge is a human right.”

Video also shows Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Assembly member and New York City mayoral candidate, trying to get past New York State police troopers while shouting at Homan. Mamdani yelled at Homan over Trump’s immigration policies and the recent detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student and anti-Israel activist.

“How many more New Yorkers will you detain? How many more New Yorkers without charge?” he shouted. “Do you believe in the First Amendment, Tom Homan?” 

ICE agents arrested Khalil at his university-owned apartment on the city’s Upper West Side on Saturday. Agents told him they were revoking his green card and student visa, according to Khalil’s attorneys.

Homan was in Albany to urge local and state law enforcement authorities to co-operate with ICE operations. New York state law restricts local and state law enforcement agencies from complying with ICE detainers or holding illegal immigrants solely based on their immigration status.

Another policy, known as the “Green Light Law,” allows illegal immigrants to obtain drivers’ licenses valid in the state of New York.

He vowed that sanctuary policies would not stand in the way of the Trump administration’s deportation plans.

“This is an attack on immigration enforcement, that’s plain what it is,” Homan said.

“You’re not going to stop us, New York state, you’ve got to change the sanctuary status. If you don’t, get out of the way, we’re going to do our job,” he said. “We’ll double the man-force if we have to. Rather than one officer arresting a bad guy, now I have to send a whole team.”

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Stephen Collopy

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