In a recent interview, Tom Homan, designated as the “border czar” by President Donald Trump for the upcoming administration, laid out a sweeping plan for large-scale deportations of undocumented immigrants. This initiative is expected to require substantial funding from Congress to facilitate the extensive operations he envisions. Homan highlighted the necessity for at least 100,000 detention beds to manage individuals detained under these plans, which is a significant increase from the 40,000 beds currently funded for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. Furthermore, he asserted a need for additional ICE agents to support the anticipated mass deportations, indicating a well-defined scaling up of deportation activities.
During an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Homan stressed that the success of these plans hinges on securing the needed financial resources from Congress, specifically the Republican-led House and Senate. He expressed uncertainty regarding the amount of additional funding that the Trump administration would pursue, stressing that budgetary considerations would directly impact the extent and efficacy of the deportation strategy.
Interestingly, Homan also proposed enlisting military assistance for transporting migrants, although he clarified that military personnel would not be executing arrests but could serve as a “force multiplier” in logistical operations that require neither police powers nor weapons. This reflects an inclination towards incorporating varied resources to enhance the deportation process while adhering to legal constraints regarding law enforcement.
Tom Homan, a seasoned figure in immigration law enforcement with past roles during the Obama administration and as acting ICE director under Trump, has been vocal about his commitment to maximizing deportations once he assumes the role of border czar. Trump himself publicly endorsed Homan’s new role through a post on Truth Social, labeling him as “in charge of our Nation’s Borders,” which encompasses various forms of transit such as Southern and Northern borders, maritime areas, and aviation security.
As the transition to the new administration nears, Homan is in the process of refining Trump’s promises concerning deportations. He remarked that operational readiness would be achieved by the day of the inauguration. While the focus will remain on deporting criminals, gang affiliates, and fugitives, Homan refrained from committing to any specific numerical targets for deportations, emphasizing an overarching goal of detaining and deporting as many undocumented individuals as possible.
In a controversial aspect of the planned deportation strategy, Homan indicated that undocumented parents of U.S. citizen children would also face deportation. The fate of these children, according to Homan, would depend on the choices made by their parents, implying that systemic legal frameworks will be applied uniformly, regardless of family status. Homan articulated, “Having a child in this country does not make you immune from our laws,” underscoring a strict interpretation of immigration law.
Moreover, Homan suggested that the Trump administration would revive large-scale worksite immigration raids, a move many industry sectors reliant on undocumented labor could find impactful. This is a notable shift from policies adopted under President Joe Biden’s administration, which focused more on addressing employer exploitation rather than aggressive roundups of undocumented workers. Homan asserted that worksite enforcement would dramatically increase, similar to trends observed during Trump’s initial term.
Lastly, Homan discussed the challenges faced due to cooperative federalism, particularly in Democratic-led urban centers that restrict federal immigration enforcement cooperation. He indicated that such restrictions compel immigration enforcement agents to focus on neighborhoods, which may inadvertently lead to the apprehension of a higher number of undocumented immigrants.
Stephen Miller, another significant architect of Trump’s hardline immigration policies and slated to be the deputy chief of staff for policy, echoed the sentiment of a comprehensive deportation regime. The overarching goal, according to Homan, is fundamentally centered around sustained immigration enforcement efforts over the course of the next four years, signalling a decisive continuation of stringent immigration control initiatives. This emergent framework of stringent deportation strategies raises concerns about the broader implications for immigrant communities across the United States.
