Trump Border Czar Leaves CNN Host Speechless with Announcement

President-elect Donald Trump’s soon-to-be “border czar” made waves during a recent interview when he delivered a blunt warning to Democratic officials planning to obstruct federal immigration enforcement after he assumes office.

In a segment this week, CNN host Kasie Hunt showcased two video clips. The first featured Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, who has vowed to resist efforts by czar Tom Homan to apprehend individuals living in the U.S. illegally. Johnston has drawn attention for suggesting city police could block federal immigration authorities from entering Denver, likening such actions to a Tiananmen Square standoff.

The second clip showed Homan during an appearance on Fox News with host Sean Hannity. In it, he issued a stern message to Johnston and other defiant Democratic leaders, promising legal consequences for anyone impeding federal immigration operations.

“We agree on one thing,” Homan said of Johnston. “He’s willing to go to jail. I’m willing to put him in jail. There’s a statute, Title 8, United States Code 1324 – AAA. It’s a felony to knowingly harbor and conceal illegal aliens from immigration authorities. It’s also a felony to impede a federal law enforcement officer.”

Homan didn’t mince words: “If you don’t want to help, fine. He can get the hell out of the way, but we’re going to do the job. President Trump has a mandate from the American people. We need to secure this country and save American lives.”

Hunt responded with a shocked “Ooof!”

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Johnston isn’t the first progressive mayor to publicly challenge Homan, who previously served in the Trump administration as a senior figure in ICE.

Earlier this month, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu also came under scrutiny for her stance against cooperating with federal immigration authorities. Wu pledged to deny access to city resources during federal raids targeting violent criminals.

Although Boston has a 2014 ordinance prohibiting cooperation on civil immigration matters, it doesn’t apply to criminal cases. Speaking to a local station, Wu stated, “We are not cooperating with those efforts that actually threaten the safety of everyone by causing widespread fear and having large-scale economic impact.”

Homan elaborated on his mandate during his interview with Hannity, emphasizing Trump’s focus on public safety and national security threats.

“I find it shocking that any mayor would oppose removing public safety threats from their communities,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going on in Denver, but we’re going to fix it. If Johnston doesn’t want to protect his neighborhoods, President Trump and ICE will.”

Hannity asked Homan about the implications of state and local resistance. “So you’re going into Colorado, Illinois, New York, California, and you’re going to enforce the law regardless of what these elected officials say?”

Homan was resolute: “We’re going to enforce the law, period. They’re not going to stop us.”

In related news, Trump has selected South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Known for her alignment with Trump’s border policies, Noem has been a vocal critic of the Biden administration’s handling of immigration.

Calling the situation an “invasion,” Noem has supported constructing stronger border barriers and implementing stricter refugee screening measures. South Dakota became the first state to send National Guard troops to the southern border in 2021 to support Texas, a move she has repeated eight times since.