Tom Homan is set to reprise his role in Donald Trump's administration as the "border czar." Previously the acting director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during Trump's first term, Homan is now tasked with overseeing border security once again. On Sunday night, Trump announced via Truth Social, "I'm pleased to reveal that Tom Homan, a steadfast supporter of border control and former ICE director, will join the Trump administration to oversee our nation's borders."
The appointment of Homan to Trump's second administration fulfills expectations surrounding Trump's commitment to initiating what he claims will be the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. Trump has emphasized that, beyond overseeing the northern and southern borders as well as maritime and air security, Homan will be responsible for "deporting all illegal aliens back to their home countries," a key agenda item.
During Trump's first term, Homan led ICE and was a pivotal figure in the controversial policy that separated nearly 4,000 migrant children from their parents, who were detained. The scandal grew when it was discovered that the government lost track of many of these children and lacked a reunification plan. Homan is also associated with the so-called Project 2025, a plan that Trump distanced himself from but which analysts warn will guide his administration starting January 20, 2025, when he assumes the presidency.
Project 2025: Controversial Plans Ahead
Project 2025 aims to expand Trump's executive power, including plans within the Department of Homeland Security to increase deportations and deploy military forces at the southern U.S. border. It also controversially empowers ICE agents to enter spaces such as schools and churches to locate undocumented individuals.
In October, Homan remarked to CBS that the Biden administration had ceased deportation raids, suggesting that such operations might resume with Trump's return to the presidency. This statement underscores the potential shifts in immigration enforcement policy under Trump's continued leadership.