By Steve Neavling
President-elect Donald Trump has announced that Tom Homan, his former acting ICE director, will serve as the “border czar” in his upcoming 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 wrote late Sunday on his Truth Social site, the Associated Press reports.
Homan’s appointment had been anticipated, especially given Trump’s pledge to initiate the largest deportation operation in the history of the United States.
According to Trump, Homan’s responsibilities will include overseeing the southern and northern borders, as well as “maritime, and aviation security.” Additionally, Trump said that Homan “will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin,” emphasizing this as a central part of his administration’s agenda.
Trump expressed full confidence in Homan’s capabilities, saying he had “no doubt” that Homan “will do a fantastic, and long awaited for, job.”
Notably, this position does not require Senate confirmation.
During an appearance on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” Homan clarified that the military would not be involved in the process of arresting immigrants in the country illegally. He assured viewers that ICE would carry out Trump’s plans in a “humane manner.”
“It’s going to be a well-targeted, planned operation conducted by the men of ICE. The men and women of ICE do this daily. They’re good at it,” he 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, while speaking at the National Conservatism Conference in Washington, Homan expressed frustration over media coverage of large-scale deportation operations.
“Wait until 2025,” he said, while emphasizing that the government should focus on national security threats but noting, “no one’s off the table. If you’re here illegally, you better be looking over your shoulder.”
Homan also 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.”
