Trump Administration Prepares for Mass Deportations as Incoming Border Czar Tom Homan Outlines Plans
As President-elect Donald Trump’s team gears up for widespread deportations, incoming border czar Tom Homan has warned that many undocumented immigrants, including those without prior arrests, could be swept up in the operation.
In a phone interview with the Washington Examiner, Homan detailed the administration’s strategy for arresting, detaining, and deporting potentially hundreds of thousands or even millions of undocumented immigrants living in the United States.
Homan emphasized that even those whose only offense is entering the country illegally will be deported, particularly if they live with or are related to individuals with outstanding arrest warrants.
“In sanctuary cities, expect a lot of collateral arrests—not just priority criminal arrests,” Homan said. “If we can’t apprehend the bad guy in jail, we’ll go into the communities to find them, and that will inevitably include others.”
Sanctuary Cities in Focus
Sanctuary cities and states, primarily led by Democrats, have resisted cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), refusing to transfer undocumented individuals from local and state jails to federal custody. As a result, ICE must conduct arrests at homes, workplaces, or other locations.
Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance plan to prioritize deporting individuals with criminal records and the estimated 1.4 million people who have already been ordered deported by judges but remain in the country.
“There are over 700,000 criminal aliens with criminal convictions,” Homan said, underscoring the scope of the operation.
The Biden administration previously directed ICE to focus on undocumented immigrants convicted of serious crimes. However, the Trump administration intends to broaden enforcement to include all undocumented individuals after taking office.
“ICE is going to do what they do best,” Homan said.
Mass Deportation Plans
During an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, Trump stated that mass deportations could involve millions of undocumented individuals, declaring, “You have no choice” but to enforce immigration laws.
Trump has long made immigration and crime central issues in his campaigns. With a Republican-controlled Congress, he is poised to push these initiatives further than in his first term. His selection of Homan as border czar and Stephen Miller as a senior White House adviser signals the administration’s intent to act decisively.
Homan confirmed that plans are already in motion and that ICE field offices across the country will begin operations immediately upon Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025.
“We’re starting across the country on the same day,” Homan said. “Every field office will begin identifying, arresting, detaining, and removing individuals who have been arrested for crimes.”
Utilizing Resources for Deportations
To facilitate these efforts, Homan is advocating for additional resources, including military planes, to transport detainees between facilities and deport them to their home countries. Currently, ICE leases 13 planes from a private company for these purposes.
“I’ve made it clear that I want their assistance,” Homan said, expressing hope that military aircraft could act as a “force multiplier” in the deportation process.
As planning intensifies, the Trump administration aims to implement one of the most extensive deportation operations in U.S. history, fulfilling a central promise of Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.