Key Figures Facilitate ICE Operations in New York Amid Federal Deportation Push

To achieve the objectives of the Trump administration’s ambitious deportation agenda in New York City, the border czar required a trusted local partner.

Tom Homan, the federal border czar, requested that a senior police official with close ties to the mayor be designated as his liaison to City Hall.

In response, Mayor Eric Adams promoted Kaz Daughtry to deputy mayor for public safety, a highly influential position within the city government.

From this role, Daughtry, 46, has served as Homan’s primary contact in City Hall. He has facilitated the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents inside the Rikers Island jail complex and was instrumental in organizing large-scale raids on city-funded hotels housing thousands of migrants in Midtown Manhattan—operations that were ultimately called off at the last moment. Daughtry is also expected to take a prominent part in an upcoming city-approved reality TV show highlighting the Police Department.

There have been allegations that the Trump administration dropped a federal corruption case against Mayor Adams in exchange for his cooperation with immigration enforcement efforts, though both parties have denied these claims.

Nonetheless, Adams has shown a willingness to cooperate with the president’s agenda. With President Trump pledging to intensify efforts to detain and deport undocumented immigrants in New York and other major cities, Daughtry is positioned to play a significant role in these initiatives.