Tom Homan Speaks Out After Being Selected as Trump's Border Czar: 'I Don't Care What People Think About Me'
Tom Homan, known for his straightforward stance on immigration, is set to return as "border czar" under President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, a position previously held by Vice President Kamala Harris during the Biden era. Homan, former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Trump’s first term, has made it clear he’s ready to tackle the “border disaster” he attributes to the Biden administration.
According to the New York Post, Homan has previously indicated that if he were to come back, he would “run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.”
Trump confirmed Homan’s new role on Truth Social, announcing, “I am pleased to announce that the Former ICE Director, and stalwart on Border Control, Tom Homan, will be joining the Trump Administration, in charge of our Nation’s Borders (‘The Border Czar’), including, but not limited to, the Southern Border, the Northern Border, all Maritime, and Aviation Security.” Trump added, “I’ve known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders. Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin.”
In an interview on Fox & Friends, Homan expressed his readiness to begin work. “I’ve been on this network for four years complaining about what this administration did to this border. So when the president asked me, ‘Would you come back to fix it?’ Of course. I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t,” he said. “I’m honored the president asked me to come back and help solve this national security crisis.”
Homan, a former Border Patrol agent and the first ICE director to rise through the ranks, stated, “I know exactly what I’m doing, and this is the second time I’ve come out of retirement for this president, because it matters.”
Homan also spoke about the excitement among former agents and retired military personnel who are eager to support the border security mission. “Thousands of retired Border Patrol agents, retired military [have called] that want to come in and volunteer to help this president secure the border,” he shared.
He acknowledged that not all feedback has been supportive, with death threats accompanying the role. “They’re not going to bully me away. This is the biggest national security vulnerability this nation has seen since 9/11. We have to fix it,” he said.
Homan emphasized that deportations would focus on “public safety threats and national security threats,” as he and Trump have “been clear” about prioritizing these areas.
He also had a strong message for Democratic leaders who may resist Trump’s policies: “If you’re not going to help us, get the hell out of the way.” Addressing New York City, he noted, “We may have to double the number of agents we send in New York City, because we’re going to do the job. We’re going to do the job without you or with you.”
To local authorities, Homan stressed the need for cooperation, saying, “It’s much easier to arrest a bad guy in the jail. Give us access to Rikers Jail that we’ve been kicked out of. Let us get the bad guy in jail. It’s safer for the alien, it’s safer for the officer, it’s safer for the community.”