Donald J. Trump has been elected as the 47th President of the United States. His second coming is riddled with controversy and an iron clad promise to deport undocumented asylum seekers. He has appointed former ICE director, Tom Homan, to follow through with his directive to round up migrants and collectively purge the country of their presence.
The presumption is that this will take place in all sanctuary cities throughout the United States. Yonkers, NY, although not specifically declared as a sanctuary city, subscribes to the dictates of the definition. It falls under the umbrella of Westchester County guidelines.
"In March 2018, Westchester County Executive George Latimer signed the Immigrant Protection Act into law. In a press release, the Westchester County Board of Legislators made a point of stating that this is not a sanctuary measure. Broadly, the bill defines what law enforcement can ask individuals about their citizenship status and how that information is shared with other levels of law enforcement. More specifically, it prevents Westchester County from using its resources to assist in federal investigations based on a number of identities, including national origin".- City and State
According to the Migration Policy Institute, there are approximately 54,000 undocumented people in Westchester County, New York, which is about 5% of the county's population. Of those, an estimated 13,000 are from Mexico and 9,000 are from Guatemala. An estimated 17,000 undocumented individuals are currently living in Yonkers
In 2017, prior to the present migration wave, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano stated:
"Mayor Mike Spano said he's "cautious" about a sanctuary city designation because officials can't stop ICE agents from coming into Yonkers and detaining illegal immigrants. Spano said such a declaration would give Yonkers residents who are in the country unlawfully a false sense of protection.
"Yonkers has always been a welcoming city for all of our people, including those who are documented and those who are undocumented," said Spano, adding the Yonkers police will only detain someone for federal authorities if there is an arrest warrant. "We do not arrest people based on immigration status. We arrest people based on crimes they commit. That's our policy. That's what we do." July 2017 Lo Hud
However, in 2023, The City of Yonkers was blind sided with a less than one week notice of a busload of asylum seekers bound for the Y.O. By 2023, the City of New York had become overwhelmed by a tsunami of migrants either bussed from Texas by a vengeful Governor Abbott or those who had sought refuge on their own. Either way, NYC was quickly running out of room and desperate to disperse the undocumented newcomers to less concentrated parts of New York. Some were sent to upstate New York, others, were mandated to the Ramada Inn located in Yonkers. In May 2023, one hundred families arrived in Yonkers to the consternation of a frustrated Mayor Mike Spano.
Mayor Mike Spano (D – Yonkers) May 2023
And so, they remained to date. When Donald Trump was elected in 2024, he vowed to organize a mass deportation. According to Trump, the largest in American history. Trump enlisted the aid of former ICE Director, Tom Homan. The tough as nails czar border echoes Trump's sentiments. Homan is not only quick to personalize his border experiences but has challenged anyone who will stand in his way.
"Incoming Border Czar Tom Homan also indicated that Trump would withhold federal funding during an interview with Mark Levin. When Levin suggested that federal funds should be withheld from states with governors who don’t cooperate, Homan replied, “That’s going to happen. President Trump will do that.”
This poses a dilemma for the City of Yonkers. A sizable portion of the Yonkers budget is derived from Federal Funds. In the event those funds are cut, it could have a large impact on the city. Federal funds have provided the following to the City of Hills:
The City of Yonkers receives federal funding from a variety of sources, including:
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
The city's 2024 allocation includes $3,403,142 for CDBG, $1,256,794 for HOME, and $296,167 for ESG.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
The Yonkers Fire Department received an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) for $807,545 to support operations and safety programs.
U.S. Department of Energy
Yonkers received nearly $500,000 in federal grant money to create a green building standard for residential and commercial buildings.
HOME Program
This program provides formula grants to states and localities to fund affordable housing for low-income households.
Empire City
Yonkers receives $19.6 million annually as a host city for Empire City, plus a variable impact payment of $1.5–$2 million.
The city's 2024–2025 budget totals $1.51 billion, with 37.14% coming from state and federal aid.
There are no easy solutions here. The City of Yonkers must decide to protect the rights of the majority or protect the well being of the less fortunate.