The new administration of the president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, has named a person “in charge” of overseeing the irregular entries of migrants at the border and prioritizing the deportation of undocumented immigrants. Tom Homan will be responsible.
Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was named by Trump earlier this week as his “border czar,” ensuring that he will not only be in charge of the southern border with Mexico, but on the northern border, maritime. and aviation security.
The 62-year-old new manager has studies in Criminal Justice, was a New York state police officer, and in 1984 began working as a Border Patrol agent. Under Barack Obama he was the associate executive director of ICE’s enforcement and deportation operations, where he carried out the largest number of deportations ever.
Homan also worked in Trump’s first term for a year and a half, and during the administration of President Joe Biden, he criticized the management of the border and the number of irregular migrants who passed through. After 2018 he started contributing to the Fox News network as an analyst.
A long history in immigration policy
Homan was instrumental in immigration policies implemented during the first Trump administration, and was one of the defenders of the strategy of separating children from their parents as a way to prevent irregular entries into the country.
Under the “zero tolerance” policy, minors were held in shelters and parents faced lawsuits for entering the country irregularly. Additionally, during his tenure as acting ICE chief, Homan rejected allegations that agents acted too aggressively.
In February 2022, he joined the Heritage Foundation as a fellow and drafted Project 2025, which proposes a conservative “handbook” on how government should be restructured under Trump’s new mandate. The president-elect, however, stayed far from the text during his campaign.
On immigration, Project 2025 says the current DHS has “failed” to “secure and strengthen” the border, and recommends that ICE detain immigrants with criminal records, eliminate certain types of visas and end Temporary Status under Protection (TPS).
What is Tom Homan suggesting?
Looking ahead to his new job, Homan assured in different interviews that the Army would not be used to find and detain immigrants, however, it was clear that the strategy “mass deportation” which would start “from day one,” prioritizing criminals or people who are a “risk to national security”.
In addition, he indicated that he would reintroduce workplace arrests of undocumented immigrants, a measure that Biden stopped in 2021.
In an interview on the Fox News channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” program, Homan said the US military would not be used to locate and detain immigrants, a responsibility that will fall to ICE, which will work to carry out Trump’s plans for ” in a humane manner” in a “necessary” and “well-directed and planned” operation.
Lily Axelrod, an immigration attorney in Tennessee, told the Voice of America that one of the challenges the new administration may face is having all the necessary resources to deport millions of people. However, they could use strategies such as going to immigration interviews or detaining those with final deportation orders.
“The easiest people to deport are those who already have a deportation order. They’ve already been ordered deported by an immigration judge and they didn’t leave or maybe they left and came back without permission, or maybe they were ordered removed from the border and somehow came back, ” explained Axelrod.
Regarding family separation, the Immigration lawyer explained that there are two possible ways to approach the situation. On the one hand, there are families who come to the border together and seek asylum with their minor children, and on the other, there are families already established in the United States with undocumented members and American citizens.
The Pew Research Center estimates that approximately 4 million US citizen children live with an undocumented parent.
In other interviews, when asked if it is possible to deport without separating families, Homan replied: “Yes, of course, families can be deported together.” In addition, he has declared that there will be no “grace period” for undocumented “criminals” and has invited these people to “self-immolate”.
Andrew Seele, president of the Migration Policy Center, said in an interview with the NPR radio network that ”it is very likely” that Homan’s strategy will begin with the cancellation of humanitarian parole for Cubans, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans and Haitians.
Trump also plans to name another immigration hardliner, Stephen Miller, as deputy chief of staff for policy, according to US media reports.
Moreover, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been nominated for DHS Secretaryinstead of Alejandro Mayorkas.
This is another important appointment for the relationship with Latin America Marco Rubio as Secretary of the State Department. Rubio is a senator from Florida and the 2016 Republican presidential candidate.
If officially nominated, he would be the first Latino to serve as the United States’ top diplomat when the Republican president-elect takes office in January.
Although Tom Homan’s role does not require Senate confirmation, protocol requires Rubio to be confirmed in Congress to take the job permanently.
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What are the implications of Tom Homan’s appointment as border czar for U.S. immigration enforcement policies?
Interview between Time.news Editor and Immigration Expert Lily Axelrod
Time.news Editor (Editor): Good morning, Lily! It’s great to have you with us today to discuss some of the significant developments in immigration policy under the new Trump administration, particularly with Tom Homan taking charge as the “border czar.”
Lily Axelrod (Axelrod): Good morning! I’m glad to be here to discuss these important issues.
Editor: Tom Homan has a long history in immigration enforcement, particularly during the previous Trump administration. How do you view his appointment? What does this mean for the future of U.S. immigration policy?
Axelrod: Homan’s appointment signals a return to a more aggressive enforcement approach. His past role as acting director of ICE and his involvement in the controversial policies like family separation indicate that we might see a recommitment to a tough stance on undocumented immigrants. His strategy of prioritizing the deportation of “criminals” aligns with the rhetoric we’ve seen in the past.
Editor: Speaking of family separation, Homan has suggested that families can be deported together. Is that a viable solution in practice when we’re discussing large-scale deportations?
Axelrod: It can be, but the reality is complex. On the one hand, you have families seeking asylum at the border who might initially arrive together. On the other, there are established families in the U.S. with mixed immigration statuses. Deporting families together without separating them could be very challenging, especially if children are involved and they have rights as U.S. citizens.
Editor: Homan mentioned a strategy of “mass deportation” starting from day one of the new administration. Given the resources required to deport millions, do you think this approach is feasible?
Axelrod: The feasibility is a big question. While Homan asserts that they will target immigrants with deportation orders, the logistics of carrying out mass deportations without overwhelming the system are daunting. There will need to be a significant allocation of resources to manage this effectively without creating chaos in communities.
Editor: In your professional opinion, what would be the best execution of a fair immigration enforcement strategy?
Axelrod: I believe any effective strategy should focus on due process and humane treatment. A clear path for those with deportation orders is essential. Additionally, prioritizing community-level engagement and understanding the reasons families migrated in the first place could open paths to more effective immigration reform.
Editor: Moving on to Homan’s comments regarding workplace arrests of undocumented immigrants, how does this affect the labor market, especially considering the ongoing economic challenges?
Axelrod: Reintroducing workplace raids could have immediate and negative consequences for our economy. Many industries rely on undocumented workers, and removing them could exacerbate labor shortages. It’s also worth considering the impact this would have on the lives of these workers and their families, many of whom contribute significantly to the economy.
Editor: Homan has criticized the Biden administration’s management of the border. What specific changes do you expect he may implement?
Axelrod: Given Homan’s history, we may see a reallocation of enforcement resources back to the border and a focus on policies that might include stricter penalties for certain types of visas or even a rollback of humanitarian protections. The emphasis appears to be on security and enforcement rather than on addressing the root causes of migration.
Editor: Lastly, with other hardliners likely joining the administration, how do you think this will impact U.S. relations with Latin America?
Axelrod: It’s likely to be tense. Appointing figures like Stephen Miller and focusing on strict policies can hinder relationships, especially with countries that have ongoing crises prompting migration. The administration’s rhetoric may also affect diplomatic relations, as countries may see the U.S. as less willing to cooperate on shared regional challenges.
Editor: It sounds like we’re entering a pivotal moment in U.S. immigration policy. Thank you, Lily, for your insights. It’s always enlightening to have your perspective on these complex issues.
Axelrod: Thank you for having me! I look forward to seeing how these developments unfold and hope for a thoughtful approach to immigration in the future.