WASHINGTON, D.C.—President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Tom Homan, the former acting director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as his administration’s new “border czar.”

With a career spanning over three decades in law enforcement, Homan brings a hardline approach to border security, aligning with Trump’s emphasis on cracking down on illegal immigration—a stance which may have won him the presidential election. 

The position, which does not require Senate confirmation, will grant Homan oversight of U.S. borders, maritime and aviation security, and the deportation of illegal immigrants throughout the upcoming four years

“I’ve known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our borders,” Trump said in a Nov. 10 post on Truth Social. He described Homan’s appointment as “long-awaited” and predicted he would do a “fantastic” job.

Homan, a native of West Carthage, NY, holds a criminal justice degree from the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute. He began his career as a police officer before transitioning to immigration enforcement in 1984 as a Border Patrol agent in Campo, CA.

Over the years, Homan investigated human smuggling operations and climbed the ranks within ICE, eventually leading the agency’s Enforcement and Removal Operations under President Barack Obama. He became acting director of ICE in 2017 under Trump, where he earned a reputation for his strict enforcement of immigration laws.

So, what can the U.S. anticipate during Homan’s role as border czar?

He aligns with Trump’s border patrol policies.

One of Trump’s most debated agendas, “America First,” involves disengaging the U.S. from global politics, changing allegiances, bringing U.S. troops home, ending U.S. reliance on China and building a southwest U.S.-Mexico border wall.

Homan has long been an outspoken advocate for this policy, often contributing his criticisms of lax border policies, progressive sanctuary cities and the Biden-Harris administration to news platforms like Fox News.

In a new interview with Fox News, Homan described his experience being tapped by the president-elect and offered insight into his plans for securing the border.

“The president asked me to come back and solve this massive security crisis, so I’m looking forward to it…The calling is clear, I’ve got to go back and help,” Homan said. “Every morning, I get up, and every morning I’m pissed off at what the [Biden-Harris] administration has done to a secure border…so I’m going to go back and do what I can to fix it.”

The morale of border patrol agents, which had been beaten down throughout the Biden-Harris administration due to lack of support, open hostility and progressive policies, is already being lifted across the U.S. following Trump’s selection of Homan.

Homan described a bombardment of calls and text messages he’s received from thousands of ICE and border patrol agents and military members who are eager to see his return, including thousands of retired agents who want to “volunteer to secure the border and do the deportation.”

Over the past few days, Homan has also received an influx of death threats from people critical of his hardline policies, prompting him to relocate his family away from their home.

Unperturbed by these threats, he promised an even larger crackdown on illegal immigration than the U.S. saw during Trump’s first presidency, because “10 million people have entered this country illegally under the Biden administration.”

“Public safety threats and national security threats will be the priority, and they have to be, because they pose the most danger to this country. So we’re going to prioritize those groups,” Homan said. 

“Those that had due process at taxpayers’ expense, and a federal judge said ‘You have to go home,’ and they didn’t, and they became a fugitive.”

He also promised work site busts as a method to tackle illegal immigration. 

“Where do we find most victims of sex trafficking and forced labor trafficking? At work sites. And the Biden administration shut down work site [operations]…they say ‘We care about sex trafficking and human trafficking,’ then they shut down work site enforcement, which is one of the best ways to find the victims of this,” he said.

“I want to add one more thing, another priority. This administration has lost over 300 thousand children who were smuggled out of this country by criminal cartels that they can’t find…We need to save these children. Some of these children are in forced labor… in sex trafficking… living a life of hell every day. We need to save these children and give them back to their families.”

He isn’t concerned with the progressive propaganda against him, ICE or border patrol.

Many say that the hardest part of working in immigration enforcement is the demonization of their role by the left, who claim that enforcing border security and deporting illegal immigrants is evil, anti-humanitarian, apathetic and compassionless, among other descriptors.

Homan is stoutly unconcerned with this propaganda.

Most border patrol officers are no longer able to guard the border per the restrictions of the Biden-Harris administration, he pointed out.

“When you take them off the border and don’t let them patrol, that’s when fentanyl comes in and kills a quarter million Americans. That’s when sex trafficking has increased 60%. That’s when a record number of people on the terrorist watch list come in and enter this country,” he said.

“So I don’t care what anybody’s opinion is on illegal immigration. When you create a crisis this big, all these other bad things happen. That’s why we have to secure the border. I don’t care if you’re a Republican, a Democrat or an Independent. Border security is national security. We should all be on the same side of that.”

He points out that when illegal immigrants enter the country and are caught, they are already offered certain due processes.

“You have the right to claim asylum. You have the right to see a judge. We make that happen. But at the end of that due process, if the judge says you have to go home, then we have to take them home. Because if we’re not, what the hell are we doing?” he asked. “If the judge’s order doesn’t mean anything, then shut down immigration court, take border patrol off the border, there’s no consequences for violating the laws of this country.”

He wants to build the wall and make sanctuary cities “get the hell out of the way.”

“It would be great to have local law enforcement assist ICE [in sanctuary cities], because one thing we learned from the 9/11 report was that law enforcement should work with law enforcement,” Homan started.

“Under President Trump, he was suing the sanctuary cities…when Biden became president, he stopped that lawsuit. So that has to be put back in place. I’ve seen some of these Democratic governors say they’re going to stand in the way, they’re going to make it hard for us, well, a suggestion: ‘If you’re not going to help us, get the hell out of the way, because we’re going to do it.’”

If a city refuses to cooperate with ICE, then he might have to double the number of agents he sends to that city, he said.

“Sanctuary cities are sanctuary cities for criminals. The left keeps saying ‘We want witnesses and victims of a crime to feel safe coming to the police department.’ Let me make one thing clear. That’s a stone cold lie. Victims and witnesses of a crime do not want a bad guy in their neighborhoods,” he said.

“The illegal immigrant community, they broke the law by coming here, and they shouldn’t be here, however… They’re God-fearing, family people. I get it. However, do they want a sexual predator in their neighborhood? Do they want someone convicted of a DUI ten times in their neighborhood?”

“Let us protect not only Americans, but the immigrant community. Who is the victim of MS13 crime? The immigrant community. If sanctuary cities don’t want to help us, then get the hell out of the way, because we’re coming.”

Homan emphasized that removing individuals who pose public safety or national security threats would be his top priority, but he also vowed to enforce all immigration laws.

The Dangers of Open Borders

Homan’s appointment comes amid growing concerns about the consequences of unvetted illegal immigration. Recent reports have highlighted several alarming incidents, including:

• An asylum seeker in Florida who attempted to sexually assault a woman the day after filing his claim.
• A rise in gang violence in Texas, with criminal organizations and drug cartels gaining a foothold in cities like Houston.
• A report tying progressive border policies to the tragic murder of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student in Georgia.
• Armed gang members from South America occupying apartment buildings in Colorado, terrorizing local residents.
• A former border official has testified before Congress, revealing that the Biden-Harris administration has deliberately concealed key information and downplayed the severity of the border crisis.

A Return to Border Enforcement

Homan’s hardline stance on immigration has made him a favorite among conservatives. He has repeatedly expressed frustration with sanctuary cities and policies that prevent federal immigration enforcement.

He pledged that under his leadership, immigration enforcement will be robust and transparent. “We spend billions on border security and enforcement. If the laws aren’t executed, there’s no integrity in the system,” he said.

With Homan at the helm, Trump’s second term is poised to bring an aggressive approach to border security and immigration enforcement, delivering on campaign promises to restore law and order at the nation’s borders.