Border czar Tom Homan said that immigration enforcement should prioritize illegal aliens who commit extra crimes to maintain public confidence.
Homan's position was reported by NBC News, which cited interviews conducted with the border czar for a forthcoming book by the network's Homeland Security correspondent, Julia Ainsley.
Homan, a veteran Homeland Security official who served under Democrat and Republican administrations, told the outlet that while any immigrant in the country illegally is subject to arrest and deportation, those who commit additional crimes should be prioritized.
"I think the vast majority of the American people think criminal illegal aliens need to leave. And if we stick to that prioritization, I think we keep the faith of the American people," Homan told NBC News last June during immigration raids in Los Angeles.
"And I think the more we do that, the more the American people will support what President Trump's doing. We've got to do it and we've got to do it in a humane manner," he added.
NBC News reported that Homan's comments for the book were "authorized for early release," though it's unclear who gave the authorization.
The report contrasts Homan's approach with that of former Border Patrol Cmdr. Greg Bovino, whose broader enforcement operations in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Minneapolis sparked protests and legal challenges.
NBC attributes weeks of unrest and federal intervention to those tactics while the network offers limited scrutiny of the protests themselves or local officials who resisted enforcement.
In a statement to NBC News, the Department of Homeland Security has rebutted claims of internal division, stating that enforcement remains targeted and aligned with President Donald Trump's direction.
"There is only one page: the President's page. Everyone's on the same page," a DHS spokesperson said.
After Bovino was removed from his post, Homan took over immigration operations in Minneapolis and began reducing the federal footprint, cutting roughly 700 officers.
Homan has said he would seek greater cooperation from local law enforcement to identify immigrants with criminal histories, while making clear that "collateral arrests" remain a core element of immigration crackdowns, with no exceptions.
"When I say prioritize public safety threats, they're just a priority," Homan told NBC News. "If you're in the country illegally, you're not off the table. If we find you while we're out there looking, you're going to be arrested."
He also warned against signaling leniency.
"If we send a message to the world that, Well, if you enter the country illegally, that's a crime but don't worry about it — just don't commit another crime and we're not looking for you, we can't send that message," Homan said.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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