President-elect Donald Trump late Sunday announced former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director Tom Homan would serve as “border czar” in his second administration, installing a key ally to enact a promised crack down at the southern border.
Trump made the announcement on Truth Social and said Homan’s responsibilities would include “the Southern Border, the Northern Border, all Maritime, and Aviation Security.”
“I’ve known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders,” Trump posted. “Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin. Congratulations to Tom. I have no doubt he will do a fantastic, and long awaited for, job.”
Much of Trump’s Day 1 agenda is likely to be focused on cracking down on immigration, and by appointing Homan, Trump is putting in place a staunch ally who has shown a willingness to carry out his orders.
Trump has for months pledged to launch the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history, an effort he has said will rely on cooperation with local police departments, even as he has provided few specifics about the cost or repercussions of removing millions of people from the country.
Other actions Trump may take immediately would likely rely on executive authority. Trump has vowed to sign an executive order “on Day 1” to stop federal agencies from giving automatic U.S. citizenship to the children of immigrants in the country illegally. Such an effort to end birthright citizenship would face certain legal challenges.
The president-elect would also likely resume construction of a wall along the southern border, something the Biden administration halted, and Trump could also look to reimpose policies such as the “Remain in Mexico” program, which forced potential asylum-seekers to stay in Mexico to wait out the results of their cases in U.S. immigration court.
Homan previously served as ICE director for the first 16 months of Trump’s first term, and he has been a regular presence in conservative circles advocating for Trump’s policies ever since.
In an interview in late October, Homan shrugged off concerns about families being separated through Trump’s plans for mass deportations.
“Families can be deported together,” Homan told “60 Minutes.”