Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under President Trump, has been selected by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as the “border czar” in the new administration. Homan is known for his tough stance on immigration enforcement and has been a vocal advocate for stricter border security measures.
On Tuesday, Homan traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border with Texas Governor Greg Abbott to meet with Texas National Guard soldiers and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers stationed at Eagle Pass and Edinburg. The soldiers and troopers are part of Operation Lone Star, a border mission launched by Governor Abbott in March 2021 to address what he sees as inadequate support from the Biden administration in combating illegal immigration along the Texas-Mexico border.
Abbott has hailed Operation Lone Star as a success, despite concerns raised by some about low troop morale, humanitarian issues, and escalating costs. The Biden administration, along with the Department of Justice and the American Civil Liberties Union, has filed a lawsuit against Texas, arguing that the state’s enforcement of immigration laws interferes with federal authority.
In an interview with “60 Minutes,” Governor Abbott defended Texas’ border policies, stating that the state is simply enforcing the laws passed by Congress with Operation Lone Star. The operation has deployed thousands of law enforcement officers and miles of barriers along the border in an effort to stem the flow of illegal immigration.
Earlier this month, President Trump announced that Homan would be his administration’s new border czar, tasked with overseeing what Trump has described as the largest deportation program in history. Homan has indicated that targeted arrests will be a key component of the deportation efforts, although he has stated that there will not be mass sweeps of neighborhoods.
Speaking on “Fox and Friends,” Homan emphasized that he and Governor Abbott are already planning actions to address immigration issues, even before the inauguration on January 20. He reiterated his commitment to enforcing immigration laws and expressed confidence that they would not be deterred by opposition from city mayors who have pledged not to cooperate with deportation efforts.
Homan was a key architect of the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy on immigration, which included the controversial practice of separating families at the border. Despite criticism and legal challenges, Homan defended the policy as necessary to deter illegal immigration.
Recent data from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shows that illegal border crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border are on track to reach a new low for the Biden administration in November. This decrease in border crossings comes after a period of heightened migration earlier in the year, prompting the Biden administration to implement stricter enforcement measures.
Overall, Homan’s appointment as border czar signals a continuation of the tough immigration policies implemented under the Trump administration. With his experience in immigration enforcement and a clear mandate from President Trump, Homan is poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of border security and immigration policy in the United States.
