President-elect Donald Trump has announced that Tom Homan, his former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, will assume the role of “border czar” in his incoming administration.
“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,” Trump stated late Sunday on his Truth Social platform.
Homan’s appointment was widely anticipated, particularly given Trump’s pledge to launch what he describes as the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. In his new role, Homan will oversee security at both the southern and northern borders, as well as “maritime, and aviation security.” Trump emphasized that Homan would be responsible for managing the deportation of “Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin,” a key element of the president-elect’s agenda. Trump expressed strong confidence in Homan’s capabilities, saying he has “no doubt” that Homan “will do a fantastic, and long awaited for, job.”
Unlike many high-level government positions, the role of border czar does not require Senate confirmation.
Speaking on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” Homan assured that the military would not be involved in rounding up and arresting undocumented immigrants. Instead, ICE would lead Trump’s plans with a “humane” approach. “It’s going to be a well-targeted, planned operation conducted by the men and women of ICE. The men and women of ICE do this daily. They’re good at it,” Homan said. “When we go out there, we’re going to know who we’re looking for. We most likely know where they’re going to be, and it’s going to be done in a humane manner.”
Earlier this year, at the National Conservatism Conference in Washington, Homan voiced his frustration with media coverage of large-scale deportation plans. “Wait until 2025,” he remarked, stressing that while national security threats would be a priority, “no one’s off the table. If you’re here illegally, you better be looking over your shoulder.”
Homan further vowed, “You’ve got my word. Trump comes back in January, I’ll be in his heels coming back, and I will run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.”
