White House border czar Tom Homan warned Sunday that violence directed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers will continue unless elected officials and other leaders change their tone around immigration enforcement.
Speaking during a televised interview, Homan said he has been sounding the alarm for months about the consequences of what he described as incendiary language aimed at federal agents. “I wish the hateful rhetoric from congressmen, mayors, and governors would stop, because I said back in March there’s going to be bloodshed,” Homan said. “I don’t want more bloodshed. But unless they stop doing what they’re doing, there will be more, and I worry about that every day.”
According to Homan, threats against ICE personnel have skyrocketed, rising more than 8,000%, while assaults on agents have jumped by roughly 1,300%. He said the figures are unprecedented based on his decades-long career in law enforcement.
The Trump administration, Homan said, is responding with a hardline posture toward anyone who interferes with immigration enforcement. He cited an increase in federal prosecutions under Attorney General Pam Bondi, noting that the Justice Department is pursuing record numbers of cases involving obstruction of ICE operations and physical attacks on officers.
“We’re sending a strong message,” Homan said, stressing that anyone who “puts a hand on an ICE officer” should expect to be arrested and face federal charges.
Homan tied his warning to what he described as dramatic improvements at the southern border under President Donald Trump, praising the administration’s policies as producing the most secure border in U.S. history. He pointed to sharp declines in migrant encounters, saying nationwide encounters dropped to just over 30,000 in November and are down 95% since Trump took office nearly a year ago, compared with levels during the Biden administration.
Deportations have also accelerated, Homan said, with ICE deporting more than 600,000 illegal aliens and an additional 1.9 million leaving the country voluntarily.
Despite those gains, Homan argued that resistance from certain political leaders and members of the judiciary has fueled a more dangerous climate for immigration officers. “You cross a line, you’ll be prosecuted,” he said, adding that accountability should apply “even if you’re a judge.”
As an example, Homan pointed to a Milwaukee County judge who he said was found guilty of obstructing federal immigration agents during an incident at a courthouse, describing it as emblematic of officials using their authority to block enforcement efforts.
Homan also raised alarms about unaccompanied migrant children, stating that approximately 300,000 children went missing during the Biden years. He said the current administration has located about 129,000 of those children through coordinated efforts involving the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Health and Human Services.
He urged political leaders to dial down rhetoric as enforcement operations expand nationwide, warning that continued escalation could lead to further attacks on federal officers.
The comments came as Homan traveled through Arizona, where he said he planned to speak at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest conference. He said his remarks there would focus on border security and what he views as shifting attitudes among younger Americans after recent national events.
“I look forward to talking eye to eye with them,” Homan said, explaining that he wants to directly outline the administration’s border policies and push back against what he characterized as widespread misinformation.
Homan concluded by arguing that tougher enforcement is saving lives by discouraging dangerous crossings and curbing fentanyl trafficking, while reiterating that protecting law enforcement officers remains paramount. “I don’t want more bloodshed,” he said, “but unless they stop doing what they’re doing, there will be more.”
{Matzav.com}