Immigration and Customs Enforcement is recruiting NYPD officers disgruntled by the election of Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani as New York City mayor.
With a flood of cash from President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, the agency has set a goal to recruit 10,000 new officers to turbocharge the historic deportation campaign. New York City officers, already hamstrung by local sanctuary policies, are also expected to face new hurdles with Mamdani in charge.
Mamdani previously supported the “defund the police” movement and seeks to uphold the city’s sanctuary status.
“NYPD OFFICERS: Defend your family. Defend your city. Defend the Homeland,” ICE wrote in an X post Monday.
ICE has already offered retired law enforcement officers up to $50,000 in recruitment bonuses. As a result, the Department of Homeland Security has already received more than 200,000 applications.
NYPD OFFICERS: Defend your family. Defend your city. Defend the Homeland.https://t.co/3c7b0RyFW8 pic.twitter.com/fPTCWv8vFt
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) November 10, 2025
During his campaign, Mamdani, 34, called ICE a “rogue agency” that “has no interest in laws, no interest in order.”
“It is the actions of masked men in unmarked cars picking up Americans and New Yorkers, whether they’re going in for a regular immigration check-in or they’re just in their apartment lobby like Mahmoud Khalil,” Mamdani previously told far-left host Mehdi Hasan.
“And I do believe that when we think about what this country needs and a humane immigration policy that has some thought and care for law and order, that clearly is not ICE,” he said.
He has also pledged to provide $100 million in taxpayer funds for the legal defense of illegal immigrants, calling it a “cornerstone” of his campaign.
In June, he promised “to stop ICE agents from deporting our neighbors.”
And ICE isn’t the only law enforcement agency looking to recruit disaffected NYPD officers.
The Houston Police Officers’ Union released an ad on Tuesday, asking NYPD officers “disgusted with the election” to join them.
The union offered “competitive pay” and other benefits, while also promising a “supportive mayor and city council.”
“We believe socialism is going to be bad for law enforcement in New York City. There is opportunity here in Houston for officers to come, make a great life for themselves, the cost of living is a lot less and you can actually do police work and be supported by our mayor and our city council,” Houston Police Union President Doug Griffith told Fox News.
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