Have you noticed how the left claims one of their issues with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement is that “non-criminal” illegal immigrants are being deported even though criminal illegal immigrants, particularly the “worst of the worst,” were supposed to be prioritized? They’re pretending to be outraged that noncriminal illegals are getting removed, too. Well, they shouldn’t be.
Here's the thing. If you crossed the border illegally, you've already committed a crime. That should end the conversation right there. But let's play along with their distinction for a moment and say a "criminal illegal" is someone who has committed crimes after sneaking into the country illegally.
Even under that generous definition, Democrats have a hard time grasping a simple concept: prioritizing criminal illegals doesn't mean ignoring the rest.
Border Czar Tom Homan spelled it out Thursday with the kind of clarity that shouldn't be necessary but apparently is. "As President Trump has said from day one, we're going to prioritize the public safety threats," Homan explained. "But prioritization doesn't mean forget about everybody else. That means you have a criminal alien here, a noncriminal here. The criminal always comes first, 'cause he's the biggest threat to the communities.”
Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?
He then doubled down on that point: "We're gonna continue to enforce immigration law. That's what the American people voted for, but it has to be a priority of criminals.” Homan made clear the administration is conducting "targeted enforcement operations" focused on "the rapists, the murderers, the child molesters." But he also reminded everyone that "if you're in this country legally, you're not off the table.”
ICYMI: Homan Ends ICE Surge in Minnesota. Here’s Why It’s a Victory for Trump.
This isn't complicated. Law enforcement prioritizes threats all the time. When cops respond to a murder and a noise complaint, they handle the murder first. That doesn't mean the noise complaint vanishes into thin air. Trump promised mass deportation, and Homan confirmed "that's what this country is going to get" through smart, targeted operations.
.@RealTomHoman: "I'll say it again: President Trump made a promise of mass deportations and that's what this country is going to get — but it's smart law enforcement to do targeted enforcement operations." pic.twitter.com/SXTxP8olP0
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 12, 2026
End of story.
But here's the problem with the left. Do Democrats actually want criminal illegal immigrants removed? Their actions suggest otherwise.
Take Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan. She was convicted in December for obstructing immigration agents who were trying to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico facing battery charges. She literally tried to protect him from being deported, even though he was a criminal.
Then there's the case of Jose Huerta Chuma, a criminal illegal immigrant from Ecuador. Border Patrol went to arrest him, and the situation ended with Alex Pretti attacking Border Patrol agents with a loaded gun in his possession, resulting in his being shot and killed.
These aren't isolated incidents. They're just a few examples showing that Democrats will go to the mat to protect illegal aliens regardless of their criminal history. It would be easier to take them seriously when they claim to support removing criminal illegals if their behavior didn't constantly prove the opposite. They don't want any illegal aliens gone, period.
The bottom line here is that the American people voted for border security and immigration enforcement. They voted to prioritize and remove criminals first. And they also voted to restore the rule of law, which means everyone here illegally is subject to deportation.
