Tom Homan Responds to Claims Trump Will Deport US Citizens

 

Thomas Homan, appointed as Donald Trump's future "border czar," dismissed claims that U.S. citizens would be targeted in Trump's proposed mass deportation operation. Speaking with Sean Hannity on Fox News, Homan addressed comments from *The View's* Ana Navarro, who argued that deporting undocumented individuals would also involve deporting their U.S. citizen family members. Homan firmly responded, "exactly not," refuting Navarro's interpretation.

Trump has pledged the largest mass deportation of undocumented immigrants in U.S. history. In October, Homan suggested on CBS News’ *60 Minutes* that “families can be deported together,” which led Navarro to argue that this implies deporting U.S. citizens if family members are undocumented. She stated, “If the parent is undocumented and they have U.S. citizen children or spouses, and you don’t want to separate them, then let’s deport the U.S. citizens.”

Specifics of how the administration plans to execute this initiative, or its costs, remain unclear. Trump told NBC News that his strategy would have “no price tag.” During his previous tenure as ICE director, Homan managed Trump’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy, which separated many families at the southern border.

Homan clarified that Trump's policy would prioritize the removal of criminals and gang members, not law-abiding U.S. citizens. He said, “The View, it’s like the island of misfit toys; they don’t know what they’re talking about.” Emphasizing public safety, Homan outlined a focus on individuals with criminal convictions and gang affiliations. “If you’re here illegally, you shouldn’t feel comfortable,” he added, asserting that illegal entry is a crime.

Karoline Leavitt, a Trump campaign spokesperson, previously told *Newsweek* that Trump would "make provisions for mixed-status families," assuring that the operation would focus on “illegal criminals, drug dealers, and human traffickers."

Homan also mentioned that targeting workplaces and combatting sex trafficking would be critical parts of Trump's strategy, citing work sites as common locations for trafficking. However, Heidi Altman of the National Immigration Law Center criticized this approach, arguing that Homan’s rhetoric misrepresents trafficking victims as offenders.

An October report by the American Immigration Council estimated that a one-time deportation of approximately 13 million undocumented migrants would cost around $315 billion, a conservative figure that excludes the sustained costs of a large-scale operation. This estimate covers individuals without permanent legal status as of 2022 and the nearly 2.3 million border crossings between January 2023 and April 2024.

Polling during the campaign indicated voter support for mass deportations, yet exit polls revealed stronger backing for pathways to legal status over deportation, with immigration decreasing in priority for voters.