Tom Homan, President-elect Donald Trump's point man for the mass deportation of illegal immigrants, told Newsmax on Friday there are several steps Trump can take to immediately help ease the border crisis, though it could take a few months to stabilize the situation.
Homan told "American Agenda" that on day one, Trump can end the catch-and-release policy embraced by the Biden administration, where illegal immigrants caught at the border were released into the U.S.
He also advocated for something similar to the safe third country agreement in the first Trump administration, where asylum seekers traveling through a Central American country were required to first seek protection there. The U.S. has such an agreement with Canada.
Homan said bringing back the "Remain in Mexico" policy, where asylum seekers would stay in Mexico until their U.S. immigration cases are heard, will be the real game changer, but that will require cooperation from the Mexican government.
"The president got a mandate from the American people," Homan said. "There are things he can do immediately: End catch-and-release, put the safe third country agreements in there; both game changers. But Remain in Mexico is the biggest-game changer. I know discussions already are happening.
"If we can get the Remain in Mexico program back in quickly, that will move the numbers down incredibly. But ending catch-and-release on day one is going to send a strong message to the world: You can't cross this border illegally, which is a crime, and get released into the United States. You will be detained or removed. You take a choice."
Regarding deportations, Homan said a plan is being developed to first target criminal illegal immigrants.
"There are plenty of criminals to arrest," he said. "If you look at the data between the Trump administration and the Biden administration, the deportations are at an all-time low. Deportations of illegal aliens with criminal convictions is down 74%, even though the Biden administration lied to the American people saying public safety threats are going to be the main priority. They weren't.
"We've got a target-rich environment. We've got over 700,000 illegal aliens with a felony conviction walking the streets. So, they'll be a target [as] national security threats. I want to send a clear message. Prioritization doesn't mean everybody else is off the table. If you're in the United States illegally, you've got a problem."
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Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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