Trump Border Chief: “Legal Immigrants are Absolutely Safe”

【Epoch Times November 13, 2024 News】 US President-elect Trump’s (Trump) nominee for Border Affairs Commissioner, Tom Homan, has refuted criticism of his immigration policy ideas.

On Fox Business Channel, Elizabeth MacDonald aired some recent clips on “The Evening Edit” program, in which MSNBC anchor Nicolle Wallace linked Homan to the “2025 Plan” (Note: an initiative proposed by the Heritage Foundation to reshape the US federal government); former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro called Homan “rude” and said Trump’s plan to expel illegal immigrants needed “strong pushback”.

In addition, “The View” host Ana Navarro said, “When he says ‘Yes, families can be expelled together,’ he is essentially saying that US citizens can also be expelled.” MacDonald asked Homan, “Tom, is that what you mean?”

Homan responded, “US citizens and legal immigrants are absolutely safe, God bless.”

Last month on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” reporter Cecilia Vega asked Homan if it was possible to “carry out large-scale expulsions without breaking up families,” to which Homan said “it is indeed possible” and added, “families can be expelled together.”

Homan had previously stated in an interview for “The Evening Edit” that the Biden administration had once “deported families (of illegal immigrants) together”.

Homan added, “What I mean is, you see, if these people demand due process, asylum rights, the right to see a judge, we will meet their demands at (a high) taxpayer cost. However, when due process ends and if a federal judge says, ‘You must go home,’ then they must go home. If they don’t go home, then wouldn’t what we did be in vain?”

Trump announced on Sunday (November 10) on “Truth Social” that his former Acting Director of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Tom Homan, will serve as Border Affairs Commissioner in his upcoming administration to ensure border security with Mexico and carry out large-scale expulsions.

On Monday (November 11), Homan stated on a Fox News program that he was honored by this appointment.

Homan is a tough-talking former Border Patrol agent who served as Acting Director of ICE in 2017 and 2018 but was not confirmed by the Senate. His new position does not require Senate confirmation.

Earlier this year, Homan stated at a national conservative conference in Washington that the government needs to prioritize national security threats, saying, “If you enter illegally, you better watch out, no exceptions.”

He also promised, “I guarantee you, Trump will be back in January next year, and I will follow right behind, launching the largest expulsion operation in the history of this country.”

In a recent interview, he stated that the initial target groups will be those posing a public safety threat and dismissed claims that the US military would assist in finding and expelling immigrants.

He previously stated on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” program, “Our first focus is public safety threats and national security threats because they are the most serious threats.” He also mentioned that ICE will implement Trump’s plan in a “humane way.”

Leading up to election day, in an interview with “60 Minutes,” Homan called suggestions of large-scale community raids or setting up camps to detain people “absurd”.

(This article is based on reports from “The Hill” and the Associated Press)