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Since President Donald Trump officially took office on Monday, Jan. 20, over 2,600 arrests have already been made in a sweeping wave of immigration raids across the country, with 956 individuals arrested on Sunday alone.
Tom Homan, Trump’s “Border Czar” and former Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from 2017 to 2018, spoke with ABC’s Martha Raddatz about the intensified efforts to crack down on illegal immigration. Per Homan, the deportation is happening based on priority, deporting those who are threats to public safety and national security first. Still, he says, “As that aperture opens, there will be more arrests nationwide.”
Homan also addressed the issue of arrests in schools and churches, which were previously designated as “sensitive locations” where ICE was restricted from enforcing immigration laws. Shortly after taking office, Trump signed an executive order reversing the policy. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a statement saying, “Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest.” According to Homan, gang members, such as those affiliated with the international criminal gang MS-13, are between the ages of 14 to 17 years old and would be found in high schools.
Homan emphasized that while criminals are the primary targets for deportation, there will also be “collateral arrests,” which refers to individuals who aren’t the focus of ICE operations, as of now, but are found to be undocumented during enforcement raids. He stressed that anyone unlawfully in the U.S. is “on the table,” adding “It’s not okay to violate the laws of this country.”
On Nov. 11, 2024, Trump, via Truth Social, announced Homan as his Border Czar, placing him in charge of border control and the deportation of illegal immigrants. Trump praised Homan, writing there’s “nobody better at policing and controlling” borders. Homan’s statement about it not being “okay” to violate U.S. laws takes an ironic tone, given that Trump is the only U.S. president convicted of a felony and has been impeached twice.
Trump faced charges that stemmed from falsifying business records involving hush money that was paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who claimed that she had sexual relations with Trump in 2006, which he denies. He was found guilty of 34 charges in 2024, but despite the conviction, he wasn’t barred from running for the presidency. In response to the verdict, Trump told reporters, “This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt. It’s a rigged trial, a disgrace,” adding that the Nov. 5 elections would be the real verdict “by the people.”
The House of Representatives also impeached Trump twice: First, in 2019, for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress following a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which he urged an investigation into Joe Biden and his son Hunter. The second impeachment came in 2021 for incitement of insurrection after the Jan. 6, 2024, attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters. The Senate acquitted Trump in both instances. During his second term in office, Trump continues to face several lawsuits, the outcomes of which may or may not be impacted by his status as president.