Who Is Tom Homan, Trump’s New “Border Czar”?

Homan has worked in law enforcement under six U.S. presidents.

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Sunday that Tom Homan, the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), will lead efforts to strengthen border security in his second administration.

As "border czar," Homan will oversee security at both the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders, in addition to maritime and aviation security. This gives him significant authority to manage and implement border enforcement policies.

In remarks made Monday, Homan outlined one of the central aspects of his new role, which includes ramping up workplace raids aimed at combating illegal immigration, labor trafficking, and sex trafficking.

Homan emphasized that the administration would adopt a more aggressive stance on enforcement, particularly in industries that employ undocumented workers.

Homan has worked in law enforcement under six U.S. presidents. He served as the executive associate director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations during the Obama administration, overseeing a record number of deportations.

However, Homan’s tenure has been controversial, particularly for his involvement in the Trump administration’s "Zero Tolerance" immigration policy, which led to the separation of over 5,500 migrant children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018.

The policy, widely criticized by both domestic and international groups, triggered public outrage and numerous legal challenges.

Although the policy was officially ended by an executive order in June 2018, the effects linger. As of April 2023, the Department of Homeland Security reported that approximately 1,400 children remained separated from their families.

With Homan’s appointment, Trump signals that his administration will maintain a focus on robust immigration enforcement and border security in the years ahead.

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