Donald Trump has only been president again for two days, and his presidency is already having a substantial impact on illegal immigration. Border czar Tom Homan wasted no time in pointing out the swift changes at the U.S.-Mexico border since Trump returned to office on Monday afternoon. According to Homan, the impact has been dramatic and immediate.
Within hours of his inauguration, Trump signed a series of executive orders targeting immigration policies. These included declaring a national emergency at the border, ending the controversial catch-and-release practice, and eliminating birthright citizenship. Trump also scrapped the CBP One app and temporarily halted both foreign aid and refugee resettlement programs, signaling a decisive shift in border enforcement and immigration strategy.
“Can you give me the latest numbers on the border?” asked Fox News host Lawrence Jones, after playing a clip of Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes promising to fight Trump’s deportation efforts and calling ICE detention centers "concentration camps."
"Absolutely. Look, the greatest president in my lifetime, he’s back. Because in two days, the last 24 hours, total apprehensions on the southwest border: 766. Compare that to the 10 to 12,000 Biden had at one time," Homan said. “CBP One releases: zero. CHNV—Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela — releases: zero. Total of 766 across the entire Southwest border. That is a game changer.”
Related: Trump Ended Birthright Citizenship, but Legal Challenges Are Doomed to Fail
Jones then pivoted to the resistance from certain Democrat state attorneys general regarding federal immigration enforcement. Homan addressed this resistance with sharp criticism, pointing out the legal precedent affirming immigration enforcement as a federal responsibility. “She has no say in that,” he said, referencing Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes.
Homan also expressed outrage over her comparisons of ICE detention facilities to concentration camps. “Are you serious? ICE has the detention centers with the best standards in the entire industry. I’ll compare ICE detention standards to any state, federal, or city facility in the entire world,” he declared. He described the accusation as “an insult and a lie.”
The conversation also touched on ICE’s prioritization of public safety threats. As my PJ Media colleague Catherine Salgado previously reported, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has already arrested more than 300 illegal alien criminals.
“Just yesterday, in the last 24 hours, ICE arrested over 308 serious criminals," Homan said. "Some of them were murderers; some of them were rapists; some raped a child.” He underscored the agency’s focus on removing individuals who pose the greatest danger, as outlined by President Trump.
Reflecting on his bipartisan experience, Homan noted his time serving under President Obama, where he was a key advisor to then-DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson. Johnson once praised Homan’s enforcement expertise, saying, “I made no significant decision on enforcement policy without having in the room Tom Homan… [one of] two pro-enforcement guys.”
Homan's comments illustrate the ongoing debate around immigration enforcement and the contrasting approaches of different administrations. His steadfast defense of ICE operations and standards reinforces his belief in prioritizing safety and order at the border.
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