(NewsNation) — Former ICE Director Tom Homan, tapped to lead border enforcement in President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, says he will prioritize deporting criminals and national security threats while pushing to designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations.
“There’s more than one priority,” Homan said Wednesday on NewsNation’s “CUOMO,” revealing that authorities have identified more than 700,000 undocumented immigrants with criminal convictions and final deportation orders who remain in the United States.
The incoming border chief outlined three major policy changes he believes Congress should implement:
- Reform the Flores Settlement Agreement to allow longer detention of migrant families
- Modify the Trafficking Victims Protection Act to enable faster processing of unaccompanied minors
- Overhaul asylum laws and reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” program
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Homan defended Trump-era policies, saying border crossings dropped to historic lows under the previous administration’s approach. He criticized the policies of President Joe Biden’s administration, saying they led to record-high encounters and overwhelmed Border Patrol resources.
“If we don’t secure the border, more migrants are going to die. More women are going to be raped. There’s no downside in securing the border,” he told NewsNation.
“Congress needs to fix this. Immigration enforcement is very controversial, is very emotional. I get it, but we have to secure the border because a secure border is going to save lives,” Homan said.
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Homan, who served under six presidents and faced recent death threats from cartels, strongly backed Trump’s plan to designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, noting they have “killed more Americans than every terrorist organization in the world combined.”
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“The criminal cartels in Mexico is like a Fortune 500 company,” Homan said, describing their expansion into 42 countries and growing control of drug distribution networks within the U.S.
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Homan revealed plans to launch a major initiative to locate approximately 300,000 unaccompanied migrant children who entered the U.S. but cannot be accounted for by authorities.
“Some are going to be in forced labor. We already found some in forced labor … Some are gonna be sex trafficking. Some are living with pedophiles,” Homan said, pledging to make finding these children a top priority.
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When pressed about the potential economic impact of mass deportations, particularly on industries heavily reliant on immigrant labor, Homan said that enforcement would focus on criminals and security threats rather than indiscriminate roundups.
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“If you’re in the country illegally, you’re in violation of law, so you’re not off the table, but we’re going to prioritize what we do,” Homan said.
Homan pushes for asylum system reforms
Homan cited data showing about 85% of asylum claims at the southern border are ultimately rejected, arguing the system needs significant reform. He said the current process allows too many migrants to enter the U.S. based on an initial screening with a “very low” threshold of proof.
“They learned a few key phrases from the cartels of what to say to make yourself pass that first interview,” Homan said. He advocated for raising the standard of proof in initial screenings to match the higher burden required in court hearings.
“If you’re really escaping fear and persecution from your home government, you’re going to wait in Mexico to escape that fear and persecution,” he said.