Rochester Police Department (RPD) police officers stepped in to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as backup and are being targeted by the city’s Democrat Mayor Malik Evans and Police Chief David Smith, but Border Czar Tom Homan is stepping in to their defense.

“The officers on the scene verbally directed the occupants to get out of the vehicle, and this is against our policy,” the mayor said at a press conference, WHAM reported.

“Our policy is crystal clear. City police officers do not help or participate in federal immigration activities,” he said. “Every RPD officer — I’ve instructed the chief — every officer receives more training on general orders to make sure all members are fully aware and fully understand this policy.”

The police chief said he was concerned after reviewing the body cam footage from the officers.

“From watching the body-worn camera footage, what is concerning to me is despite the fact that we were called, we went lights and sirens,” the police chief said.

“I see in the video a total lack of urgency on the part of multiple Border Patrol officers at the scene,” he said.

The mayor said that ICE agents, not local police, should have arrested the alleged illegal aliens.

“We are not to be handcuffing subjects,” he said.  “We are not to be doing pat frisks on subjects, and we are absolutely not going to be detaining them or putting them into our cars.”

In a post on X the border czar informed the officers that “help is coming.”

“I stand with the officers of the Rochester, New York Police Department that answered the emergency assistance call from the U.S Border Patrol,” he said. “The men and women of the Border Patrol have never refused the request for assistance from any law enforcement agency when they are available. That is the way it should be. Law enforcement officers should not be abandoned in the time of need because of politics.”