President-elect Donald Trump says Tom Homan, his former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, will serve as "border czar" in his incoming administration.
"I am pleased to announce that the Former ICE Director, and stalwart on Border Control, Tom Homan, will be joining the Trump administration, in charge of our nation's borders ('The Border Czar'), including, but not limited to, the Southern Border, the Northern Border, all Maritime, and Aviation Security," Trump wrote late Sunday on Truth Social.
Homan was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border and Trump's pledge to launch the largest deportation operation in the country's history.
"I've known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders," Trump added. "Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all deportation of illegal aliens back to their country of origin. Congratulations to Tom. I have no doubt he will do a fantastic, and long awaited for, job."
Such a role does not require Senate confirmation.
In an interview Sunday morning, Homan said the military would not be rounding up and arresting immigrants in the country illegally and that ICE would move to implement Trump's plans in a "humane manner."
"It's going to be a well-targeted, planned operation conducted by the men of ICE. The men and women of ICE do this daily. They're good at it," he said. "When we go out there, we're going to know who we're looking for. We most likely know where they're going to be, and it's going to be done in a humane manner."
Earlier this year at the National Conservatism Conference in Washington, Homan expressed frustration at the news coverage of a mass deportation operation.
"Wait until 2025," he said, adding, while he thinks the government needed to prioritize national security threats, "no one's off the table. If you're here illegally, you better be looking over your shoulder."
He also said: "You've got my word. Trump comes back in January, I'll be in his heels coming back, and I will run the biggest deportation operation this country's ever seen."
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